


The Exiles'

by shadowsofvanity



Series: Guardian's of Creation [1]
Category: League of Legends, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Harem, BDSM, Demigods, F/F, F/M, Genderbending, Heavy Combat, Master/Servant, Master/Slave, Multi, Multiple Minor Crossover Elements, Percy/Harem, fem!Percy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-30
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-03-26 10:43:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 45,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3847963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowsofvanity/pseuds/shadowsofvanity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Response to whitetigerwolf's Huntress Challenge. Perseus Jackson had thought he had done the right thing when he defied Fate to save Bianca and Zoe's lives. Instead, he found himself betrayed in his sleep. Forcefully turned into a woman by Artemis, accompanied only by Thalia, he ran. Exiled himself from the world, to find those that were broken by the gods. More/pairing inside!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Forsaken

Hello everyone, and welcome to the _Percy Jackson and the Olympians_ fanfiction entitled _The Exiles._

There will be minor crossover elements: character names, appearances, abilities, and the like. Nothign more than though, and likely done sparingly as well.

This story is a challenge fic, my first challenge fic actually, and is based off of whitetigerwolf's Huntress Challenge for _Percy Jackson and the Olympians._ Thus, I ask you to be gentle in your evaluation, as actually having to meet criteria, but not do the same thing as others who have done the challenge, is really rather difficult. The challange is as follows:

Requirements:

-Artemis turns Percy Jackson into a girl **(Accepted, because that is the whole point of the challange)**

\- Poseidon must hit on the female Percy, before he realizes that Percy is his...uh, son/daughter? (That's kinda confusing actually. Although, considering this is dealing with the Ancient Greek Gods, that wouldn't necessarily keep Poseidon from trying to get in a female Percy's pants not that I exactly like the idea, but I do feel I need to point that out.) **(Awkward as hell, and a little difficult to do, but not impossible. Accepted.)**

\- Percy must spend some time with the Hunter's of Artemis **(Yeah, umm...that won't be happening for a good while. Eventually though, so accepted.)**

\- Percy must remain a girl for at least one-month **(It will be a perma-change, so accepted, naturally)**

Recommended

\- FemPercy/other girl, especially Artemis though. **(Not going to give to much away, but fem!Percy/Artemis/Hestia/Thalia is guranteed with Others? being guranteed, but the others are for me to know, and you to find out when I feel like it. Accepted, duh.)**

\- Percy remaining a girl and joining the Hunters of Artemis **(This one is a little nebulous right now. It depends on where the plot bunnies take us, so I'll leave it at possible, even likely, but not guranteed.)**

Please be aware that some characters might be slightly OOC. Hopefully, I can limit that though.

SUMMARY: Response to whitetigerwolf's Huntress Challenge. Perseus Jackson had thought he had done the right thing when he defied Fate to save Bianca's and Zoe's lives. Instead, he found himself betrayed in his sleep. Forcefully turned into a woman by Artemis, accompanied only by Thalia, he ran, forsaken. Exiled himself from the world, to find those that were broken by the gods. But though the future looks bleak, and all appears lost for the world and those in it, one thing must be remembered:

What was broken can be reforged.

Pairing is fem!Percy/Thalia earlier on, with Fem!Percy/Thalia/Hestia/Artemis/Others later on.

**_TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE_ **

The Exiles

Chapter One

Forsaken

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_"Perseus Jackson cannot exist past midnight tomorrow. He has interfered with the very threads of Fate and Time themselves. The Balance MUST be restored, or all things will crumble. The worlds will end. Defying Fate is one thing, something to be admired, but to change its Fabric is another entirely. Restore the Balance, Artemis, Daughter of Zeus. I suspect you are the only one who can."_

Clotho's words echoed through Artemis' ears as she sat in the Throne Room of Olympus. Her fellow deities were loudly and aggressively discussing Atlas' actions over the past several months, as well as the movement of the other Titans. Everything pointed towards another Titan War, and that was worrisome. Though the gods didn't like to acknowledge it, their demotion to mere myths and legends had reduced their power a great deal, when compared to their strength of old. If her grandfather rose again, the gods may not defeat him again.

"I do not see why you continue to deny it, brother!" she heard Poseidon bellow, his famed temper clearly getting the best of him at her father's [continued](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9221399/1/The-Exiles) and staunch denial that Kronos could possibly be rising. She watched as Poseidon's grip on his trident tightened, wisps of mist swirling around it in his great agitation. "Atlas, the Titan General, was freed by Luke Castellan for a very specific purpose. Were it not for my son, he never would have been forced back under the sky, while Artemis would still be there now! Say what you wish about him, but Atlas is no great fool. He would not risk our anger if he was not sure that the endgame would be his!"

"We cut Father into the smallest of pieces with his own scythe, brother! We cast them into Tartarus and reduced his scythe to not but dust!" Zeus snapped stubbornly, face red as his Master Bolt sparked and hissed with energy. "He could not reform naturally and under his own power!"

"The point is, Father, that it might not be under his own power." Artemis interjected, sharing a look with her sister Athena, who was nodding in agreement. "He is clearly being supported by many demigods who, like the son of Hermes, believe that we gods have wronged them too many times to be allowed to rule. Whispers abound that many minor gods and goddesses are leaning towards supporting him for the way they are treated as well."

Her piece said, Artemis returned to her internal struggle.

So what was she to do? Obey the Moirai and destroy the most powerful demigod in centuries, one that was close friends with many prospective Hunters, and respected deeply by her Lieutenant and her newest recruit, Bianca? Doing so would likely not only loose her a great deal of respect and many potential Hunters, but Bianca might leave as well. Even Zoe would not forgive her for a very long time. The boy did save her life, and nearly died doing so, after all. Furthermore, such a choice might doom Olympus and the world itself to Kronos' rule, but if she did not, all realities would tear themselves to pieces. If only there was a way to make Perseus Jackson non-existent without killing him...

Her thoughts were again cut off as her father vanished in a blaze of lightning and a crack of thunder, making her roll her eyes at the petulant theatrical displays of the men in her family as the other gods and goddesses vanished, leaving her alone on her throne. It appeared the meeting was over. Her brow furrowed as she stared into the fire. How could she get rid of "Perseus Jackson" without killing him? Such a thing was impossible, she told herself, before her eyes widened and she shot to her feet, striding towards the door, heading for her waiting chariot. Before she could leave, however, an strong but gentle and warm hand grabbed her shoulder, jerking her to a stop.

Turning back, she found herself face to face with her aunt, Hestia, the eldest Olympian and goddess of the Hearth and Family.

"Hestia?" she asked, surprised. Her aunt preferred to keep to herself ever since she surrendered her throne to stop a war from breaking out between Poseidon and Apollo.

"Be very careful in what you do next, niece." Hestia warned her, the most serious Artemis had ever seen her kind and gentle aunt. Artemis raised an eyebrow, confused, and Hestia elaborated. "I have seen what you plan, for it will affect our family forever. Know that if you mishandle the coming situations and those that follow, Olympus and the world will fall to my father, and all will suffer. Your plan is the only one that will work, I fear, but do not forget who you are doing it to and why. Above all, do not forget why."

Her wisdom imparted, the eldest goddess vanished in a swirl of fire, leaving Artemis staring at the spot where she had stood in confusion and curiosity, before shrugging and departing. Her plan was sound, and arguably would accomplish precisely what needed to be done. If she was lucky, he would choose to serve her, and would be rewarded as he deserved, something she couldn't do due to his current...nature. In fact, this would be part of that reward. Yes, yes, this was good!

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Percy Jackson was not feeling well. Scratch that, he was in horrible shape. Even after having as much nectar and ambrosia that could be risked without being reduced to a pile of ash, and the cream of the Apollo cabin's Healer crop take a crack at healing his injuries, he was barely capable of being carried out of bed and down the hall to the small, built-in bathroom reserved for the Poseidon cabin's head camper.

Holding up the weight of the entire sky, as it turns out, is very bad for your health. In fact, according to Chiron, Annabeth, and Thalia, he should be dead. Holding up the sky for more than a few minutes should have crushed the life from him, but apparently (he didn't really believe them, but he hurt far too much to argue) he was exceptionally powerful and hardy, even for a son of the Big Three. When he had pointed out that Luke and Annabeth had also held up the sky, with apparently no ill effects, Annabeth quickly retorted by saying that she had only held it for a few moments when Artemis had appeared and taken it from her. As for Luke, she predicted, he had likely not been holding it long by the time she arrived and was tricked into taking it, and he was in horrid shape afterwards. Only the aid of Atlas had helped him recover so fast.

The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor drew his attention, and he turned his head slowly to see Artemis standing in the doorway to his bedroom, an unreadable look on her face. Shaking away his surprise, he tried to sit up and nearly succeeded, only to fall back into the bed, panting from the pain of his exertions.

"Forgive...me...Lady Artemis." he gasped, sweating heavily as pain wracked him. His eyes closed instinctually, and so he missed the concern and fear for him that flooded the goddesses eyes as she saw the condition he was in. "It seems...that getting up to greet you...is beyond me right now."

"Why have you not been healed, foolish boy? Why have you not used nectar and ambrosia, or been healed by my idiot brother's children? Are you so arrogant that you would refuse aid?" she demanded, sounding angry with him, and he chuckled weakly before coughing painfully, a faint smirk playing across his lips when it subsided.

"Lady Artemis..." he whispered tiredly, too weak even to open his eyes now. "I have already had as much nectar and ambrosia as I can without burning up, and three of the Apollo cabin's best Healers are in the infirmary after knocking themselves out to try and heal me."

Artemis' eyes widened in shock at that news. She had presumed that he had been an arrogant male and denied any offered aid, but if three of her nieces or nephews had been put into the infirmary through their efforts to heal Perseus, and he could not consume anymore nectar or ambrosia without burning up, and he was STILL in such terrible shape...

Her respect for the character of the mortal before her rose several more notches, and that made her look forward to the results of her plan all the more. Such loyalty and strength as he had displayed to take the sky and be reduced to this so that she could save Zoe would be the boon of all boons to her Hunters. However, she doubted he would go along with her plan, and so did not mention it, deciding to wait for his weariness to render him unconscious. She remained by his bedside, telling him of the arguments on Olympus over their mutual grandfather's rise, until he finally passed out from exhaustion. Gathering her power, she cast her spell, and watched as it took effect. His shirt bulged outwards as his breasts grew, his face softened from its hard lines, becoming more delicate and feminine. His body became more lithe and graceful, as opposed to stocky and powerful. His hair, turned snow-white by his effort of holding up the sky, lengthened and grew somewhat more tamer, though it was a far cry from what she would call neat. Her skin, similarly bronzed to a dark tan, became smoother and softer. Though she could not see it, Artemis knew his eyes were changing as well, losing their normal sea-green and becoming something else entirely. She looked forward to finding out. She then clothed him as a young girl should be, with feminine undergarments and, after a moments deliberation, a new T-shirt and jeans. The change would be hard enough without changing her clothes as well.

Finally, she sat back in her conjured chair, smiling down at the beautiful young woman that used to be Perseus Jackson. Now that he-she!- was a maiden, Artemis could use all of her powers to heal the girl, an option unavailable to her for many reasons when he was male. Silver light spilled from her hands and sank into the girl's body, mending her injuries. The girl's breathing noticeably eased, becoming less labored and raspy. Wounds closed, bruises faded, and she was healed, thought not without several scars.

Feeling as playful and childish as her brother always acts, Artemis bounced to her feet and over to the bed. Gazing at her young friend's beautiful features, she impulsively bent down and kissed her softly on the cheek, very close to her mouth. Almost immediately she pulled back, blushing heavily and cursing mentally. Turning on her heel, she hastened from the cabin, to find and speak with Chiron. They needed to organize something for her young friend's safety, as she had no siblings in the camp to protect her while she slept, and that just wouldn't do. After that, to Olympus. Best to tell Poseidon herself...

Unbeknownst to her, one Thalia Grace had been watching from a window, and a dark scowl was set on her face as she witnessed the boy she liked getting forcefully changed into a woman while he slept. Figures that her man-hating half-sister would do something like this, taking advantage of his weakened state to punish him for helping her. Well, she knew Percy, and she knew that he wouldn't take this lying down, even if he was a she. Slipping away into the shadows, she headed for the Zeus cabin to pack. Whatever Percy did now, Thalia would support him-her- 110%.

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Zoe awoke the next morning to clamors and shouting as the sound of running echoed through the camp. Grumbling to herself about loud and annoying campers, she tossed back her covers and dressed herself, before starting to shake her sisters awake, many of whom protested her actions with rebellious mutterings and threats of mutiny. It was all in jest, of course, and Zoe giggled softly at some of the more inventive threats. Her fellow Hunters were only have dressed, however, when Artemis herself burst into the cabin, looking rather panicked and disarrayed.

"My Lady..?" Zoe stared in shock at her Mistress' disheveled state, only to be forcibly refocused as Artemis grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her roughly.

"Have you seen her? Have you seen Percy?" the goddess of the moon demanded, and the Hunters stared at her as though she had lost her mind.

"My Lady...Perseus is a "him" not a "her"." Zoe said slowly, wondering if her Mistress was suffering from some horrible side effects from being forced to hold the sky for so long.

"I know that she was! But I changed her into a girl last night to save her life, and then went to Olympus to talk to Poseidon about it. By the time I got back, early this morning, Percy was gone! I alerted Chiron, and the whole camp has been called out to find him!" Artemis growled, clearly distressed. She whirled towards the door again, ordering them to assist over her shoulder. Bianca swore that she saw a small tumbleweed blow across the empty spot Artemis had just inhabited before she bolted for the door, already shouting Percy's name. Zoe looked around at her sisters, who weren't moving, and snapped her fingers several times.

"Let's move it, girls! We have a severely injured hero who has gone missing! Spread out and find him! Stay in pairs at least! Whatever grabbed him could still be out there!" she barked, and there was a flurry of movement as the Hunters obeyed their Lieutenant's orders.

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"Get down!" Thalia whispered harshly, and both she and the girl who refused to be called Percy hit the dirt as another team of Aries campers thundered past, shouting their names.

"You should go back, Thalia." her best friend hissed quietly as they got to their feet and cautiously began moving. "You have so much more to leave behind than I do!"

"Shut up!" she hissed back angrily, glaring at her. "I told you, I will follow you anywhere, Seaweed Brain, and I plan to stick to that. Besides, God knows that you will get into loads of trouble without me watching over you."

Her best friend smiled slightly, before descending into mingled gloom and rage again, making Thalia sigh subtly at the failed attempt to get her mind off of her new situation.

"You know the likelihood of us getting away and not ever getting caught is slim to none, right 'Lia?" she asked, using her pet name for Thalia, who opened her mouth to protest before sighing again, this time in defeat.

"Yeah, I know. If we had a godly patron supporting us, then maybe it would be possible, but none of _them_ will help us escape our fates as cannon fodder for their stupid conflicts." she replied sadly, and her friend nodded in agreement.

"Then it is a godly patron you shall have." a soft and beautiful voice said just behind them, and both spun with weapons in their hands to see a gorgeous eighteen year old with warm and caring amber eyes and long scarlet hair. Looking into her eyes, the pair was overwhelmed by the feeling of home and safety that they saw there, and lowered their weapons slowly.

"I recognize you..." the girl formerly known as Percy whispered softly, staring at her in wonder. "You were tending to a fire when I first arrived at camp, but you were so much younger looking."

The girl's smile broadened exponentially, and she sighed happily, coming over to them and reaching out with a gentle hand to cup the demigod's cheek, her thumb stroking it softly.

"Oh, my Perseus, how I had hoped that it would be you who saw me. I always knew that only the most worthy of people would see me." she said cheerfully, before introducing herself as Hestia, goddess of the Hearth and Family.

"So, what do you mean "most worthy", Lady Hestia?" Thalia asked suspiciously, bristling at the continued closeness the goddess was exhibiting to HER friend. "And why are you not dragging us back to Olympus?"

"Answering the second first, I am leaving you be because I agree with you. My younger siblings, nephews, and nieces have become complacent, and cruel in their negligence, of you demigods. As goddess of Hearth and Family, I can see the damage that it has been doing over the eons, and that damage is finally coming to a head. Kronos is rising, my champions, and the minor gods will side with him for the way they've been treated, as will many demigods. He will destroy Olympus."

"Good. What has Olympus done for us? They bring about our births, and then neglect us until they feel like noticing us. After that, we have to fight and die for their whims. Let Olympus burn." the girl snarled, interrupting the goddess, who looked at her sorrowfully.

"So you would wish my imprisonment in Tartarus? Because Olympian or not, I will be cast there for fighting against Kronos in the first war."

The looks of horror on the two children's' faces and their violent protests were almost as comical as they were heartwarming, and Hestia knew that she had chosen well. These two young women would unite her family, mortal and immortal alike. And, if what she hoped came to pass, her heart would finally be whole.

"I know you have every reason to be angry with our family for what they've done, Percy, Thalia, but always remember that it is not maliciousness that drives their actions, but simple foolishness." she said gently, and held a soft and gentle hand over their mouths as they went to protest, making both girls blush involuntarily. "Please, just think about it. Now, Percy, I know you want a new name, one that will allow you to cast aside your past. Choose it now, please."

"Ah..!" the girl blinked, clearly thrown for a loop, before she frowned deeply, thinking hard. Playing with her now snow-white hair, she sighed deeply and nodded to herself. Drawing herself up, shoulders squaring, she spoke. "Riven. Riven Exilia."

When Hestia raised an eyebrow and looked at her, the girl blushed heavily and answered the unspoken question.

"Riven is the name of a character in a game I used to play, who exiled herself after her own people betrayed her. She had white hair and bronze skin, like I do now. Exilia is just meant to reflect what I am now. An exile. Forsaken."

"So be it. I name you Riven Exilia. So mote it be!" Hestia said commandingly, clapping her hands sharply, and a wave of power rolled across the area, passing through the newly named Riven, who shuddered at the feeling. After it passed, Hestia looked at the pair. "I want the pair of you to serve as my Champions of the Hearth and Family. I want to be your patron, your friend, your everything."

For some reason, the phrase "your everything" made both Riven and Thalia blush heavily once more, something they had been doing a lot since this goddess had arrived, and nodded in acceptance. After all, despite their anger and disgust with the Olympians, Hestia was no Olympian. She had sacrificed her throne for the good of her family. She was what the Olympians should aspire to be. The blush achieved epic proportions and both nearly passed out as Hestia kissed them each lightly on the lips before pulling away, giggling madly at their totally dumbstruck expressions.

"There, now you are both my Champions. Hurry, though, for my niece and her Hunters are coming this way. I'll tell you everything that being my Champions has gifted you with later." the elder goddess commanded with a bright smile before vanishing in a plume of fire.

"...you ever seen a goddess act that giggly and flirty that wasn't Aphrodite?" Riven asked slowly, and Thalia shook her head dumbly.

"...think there is more to this then we figure?"

Thalia nodded in agreement, and Riven sighed gustily.

"Hell, my life has never been simple. Why start now? Let's go, 'Lia, before the bitch and her tree-huggers catch us." she grumbled, settling her pack until it was more comfortable and setting of at a rapid pace away from Camp Half-Blood, Thalia a half-step behind her.

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"Aunt Hestia!" a familiar voice called, pulling said goddess from her day-dream of her beautiful Riven, where she crouched tending The Hearth. Honestly, Perseus had always been exactly what she would have wanted in a man, but as a young woman named Riven, she was even better. She had hoped that he would see her when he first arrived at camp, as she had watched him grow and mature into the wonderful person he was since his birth. It seemed her hopes had been fulfilled, at least in part. Now, she just had to make Riven fall in love with her, and not abandon their family...

"What is it, Artemis?" she asked calmly, well aware of her niece's reason for approaching her in such haste and distress.

"Percy has gone missing! I turned her into a girl, changed who she was so that she could live but not destroy reality, but I never got to explain what happened! Now she and Thalia have gone missing, likely run off somewhere, and no one at camp, myself, nor my Hunters can seem to find them! It's as if they vanished from the face of the earth!" her niece said, waving an arm about in agitation while the other ran through her hair. "The stupidity she had as a man must still be contaminating her mind for her to run off like this!"

"Maybe it's because you destroyed his life without asking permission first, Artemis." Hestia pointed out, rather miffed after the slight to her Champion and, though her niece didn't need to know, love interest.

"I didn't do anything but save his life! Maybe if he had waited patiently in bed instead of running off like a fool, he would know that!" Artemis growled, growing angry from her aunt's apparent lack of care about the situation.

"I warned you this would happen if you were a fool about it, Artemis!" Hestia said sharply, getting to her feet with a dark look. She resisted the urge to say anything that might give away what she knew, and instead settled for a pointed barb, one that would be expected of her in the current situation. "It appears you did not heed my warning! Your misstep may doom Olympus to my father's rule! I hope trying to get another girl into your Hunt was worth it!"

With that, the goddess of the Hearth vanished in a flash of fire, leaving a confused and steadily angering Artemis behind. Did no one understand that she had been trying to help? Did no one understand that she had done what was necessary? Sure, she had destroyed everything he knew, changed his entire being, but he was a demigod! He was supposed to adapt and improve! Stalking form the Throne Room as her concern turned to anger, she resolved to punish Percy for embarrassing her like this, making her worry! Honestly, and here Artemis was hoping that being a girl would improve the fool! Well, she would make sure it didn't happen again, that was for sure!

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Whilst Artemis was ranting to herself and trying to ignore how hurt she felt that she had driven away the one mortal who, as a woman, MIGHT be worthy of her affections ( and blaming said mortal for it, naturally), said mortal and her best friend/cousin were setting up camp some ten miles south of Long Island Sound, underneath a bridge.

"I'm glad you came with me, 'Lia." Riven said softly. Thalia stopped what she was doing and looked over at the other young woman curiously. Riven smiled at her sadly, even as tears began to run down her cheeks, and continued. "I wouldn't be able to do this without you. I wouldn't be able to get through this without you. I may be close with Annabeth, but you...ever since you were freed from the tree, you've been everything I ever wanted in a best friend. You argue with me, tell me when I'm being stupid, but you're not condescending about it. You help me instead of just insulting me. If there is anyone besides my mom that I would trust everything to, it would be you."

"I feel the same way about you. The only other person I really trust is Annabeth." Thalia replied, pulling Riven into a hug and hoping the other girl didn't see her blush. It felt...good, to know how much value Riven put in her. Thalia marveled for a moment at her ability to so easily accept her crushes new status as a woman, but immediately shrugged it off. It didn't matter. Riven had the same soul, the same personality, as Percy. She would deal with any romantic feelings for her later. Right now, her best friend needed her. That's all there was to it. Rubbing Riven's back soothingly, she held the now-sobbing girl close. "I'll always be here, Riven. You and I, we will find a way through this together. No matter what."

The pair stayed that way late into the night before falling asleep together, unaware of the fact that a trio of beings far older and more powerful than the Olympians were watching them, weighing them. By unspoken agreement, all three resolved to continue their vigil. Hopefully, these two would not be found wanting.

Through this pair of young woman, everything would change.

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Well, there you have it, the first chapter of The Exiles! Please remember that I have no beta! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, leave them in a review. If you want to encourage me, leave it in a review! If you want to flame me...leave it in your head, cause I don't care!

Shadows Of Vanity


	2. Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which Traumatic Events Occur, Riven And Thalia Almost Level New York City, And Hestia Loses Her Temper

** Note: I am still lacking a beta for this story, so if you spot any errors, please let me know! **

** WARNING! Depressing content present in this chapter! It is vital to the plot, or I would have avoided it! **

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The Exiles

Chapter Two

Shattered

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"So, what's the plan now, Riven?" Thalia asked her crush softly, and Riven's hands stilled in their quick and efficient packing of the ten the two of them shared.

"...say goodbye to mom and Paul one more time before going off the grid, I guess. I need to see them again, explain to them what happened, why I'm leaving." she said sadly, and Thalia stifled the urge to simultaneously curse in anger and sigh in depression. Nothing she and Hestia had said over the past month had managed to make any headway in convincing The Exile, as she often asked to be referred to as (something else the pair argued with her over constantly) that totally disappearing from everyone but the two of them wasn't necessary, but it had thus far proven fruitless. Riven didn't believe her patron and best friend would betray her or lie to her, but she had no such faith in the other Olympians, and she was unwilling to return to what she now looked back on with contempt and hatred as a life of being a conscripted (and expendable) soldier. "You should stay with them, 'Lia, and have Lady Hestia say that I kidnapped you or something."

"Oh for God's sake, Riven! Enough!" Thalia snapped in annoyance, glaring at the snow-haired girl, who leaned back a little at the aggression in Thalia's voice. "I've had enough of this depressing attitude of yours! Yeah, Artemis destroyed your life! Yeah, she turned you into a chick! Yeah, you feel used and abused by Olympus! Well guess what, you're not the only one whose life has been ruined by the gods! Stop moaning to yourself and get your head in the game! If you and I are going to survive this, godly patron or not, we need to keep training! We need to stay frosty, we need to keep focused, and we need to stop ARGUING!"

Riven stared at her best friend in wide eyed shock, mouth hanging open slightly. Thalia was very near to what could be described as hyperventilation, breathing heavily after yelling the last dozen words or so at the top of her lungs while her electric-blue eyes sparked passionately, and actual sparks crawled over her body. Riven honestly was feeling a little awed. She had never seen her friend's power acting up like this. Then again, even when they argued constantly back at camp, she had never seen Thalia this angry either.

"I'm sorr-." she started, only to be cut off by an irritated Thalia.

"Don't apologize, I'm sorry for yelling at you." the daughter of Zeus muttered, shaking her head choppily. "I just can't stand to see you hurting anymore, its killing me. Just...try and cheer up a little, please? For me?"

"S-sure thing, 'Lia." Riven nodded with a bright blush that she mentally cursed herself for. She seemed doomed to make a fool of herself in front of Thalia, both as a boy and as a girl. Looking down, she returned to her task with precision, Thalia doing the same with her own. In less than ten minutes their gear was packed up and on their backs. Setting off, the pair headed back north, intent on reaching New York city again without getting found. Hopefully, the heat had died down some.

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** "Why has my daughter not yet been found?"  ** Poseidon thundered angrily, pounding the floor of the throne room with the butt of his trident. **"It has been an entire month, and none of you, nor those who serve you, are able to find her!'**

"You've not found her either, brother!" Zeus snapped back, clenching his master bolt tightly as energy rippled across it. "What about my daughter? Your sea-spawn chit led her astray!"

** "What was that?!"  ** Poseidon roared, getting to his feet while Zeus did the same. In moments, the room was filled with shouting and yelling as every Olympian shouted accusations and threats. All save one.

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A deeply confused and depressed Artemis was sitting slumped down in her throne, brow furrowed as she was absorbed in her own thoughts. Ever since Mount Othrys, everything had gone straight to Tartarus for her. Her irrational anger with the daughter of Poseidon long gone, all she was left with was worry and pain. She was haunted constantly with dreams of a bronze-skinned and snow-haired young woman being torn apart by monsters, raped by men, or joining Kronos before leading an army of demigods and monsters to crush Olympus. The dreams and her constant thoughts on them were distressing, to say the least. Sighing deeply, she thought about what might have been, trying to think of a way to get the girls back. She couldn't help it, not after she let herself imagine how powerful the Hunt could be if she had the three oldest children of the Big Three. None of her sisters would die in battle gain, not with that much power amongst them. Then she wouldn't have to suffer through losing Hunters anymore.

Instead, two of the girls had vanished outright, and the third had quite the Hunt before vanishing as well. Artemis flinched slightly as she remembered...

_ Flashback _

" _Bianca, where are you going?" Artemis heard Pheobe ask in surprise, and she stepped out of her tent to see Bianca Di Angelo, dressed in black armor with a Stygian Iron sword at her side and a black bow on her back standing with her back to the camp. It had been three weeks since the entire Ancient Greek world had begun searching for the Daughter of Poseidon and Daughter of Zeus, to no avail._

_ "I am leaving the Hunt." the Daughter of Hades replied calmly, and the Hunters gasped while Artemis' eyes widened in panic. Several members of the Hunt began to speak at once, to try and persuade her otherwise, but she remained unmoved and started to walk away. Desperate not to lose someone else she cared for in so short a time span, Artemis spoke up. _

_ "Bianca, please, you can't leave us! Not now!" she cried, stepping forward, and Bianca looked over at her with a cold expression, though her eyes held a gleam of anger and...sadness? _

_ "I can no longer remain in the Hunt if you routinely turn people who rescue you into girls without explanation. I was willing to leave behind my brother, sacrificing the relationship with the only family I have left, because I thought you were a genuinely good person. I was willing to overlook the stories of you turning men into animals and hunting them down to slaughter them for sport as just that, stories. I thought that they were more ridiculous mortal stories twisting the truth. I see now that they were true. I refuse to serve a spiteful woman who murders men simply because she doesn't like them, or even worse, for fun. That makes you no better than Kronos." she replied with a trace of contempt. Artemis reared back as if slapped in the face, shocked more than she had ever been in her life. Is that really how people viewed her? A spiteful woman who commits murder for fun? No better than Kronos? She was so shocked and hurt that the idea of punishing Bianca for her rudeness and insolence never crossed her mind. No, all that mattered was keeping Bianca with her and the Hunt. _

_ "Bianca, you don't understand what happened...!" she started to say, but Bianca cut her off angrily.  _

_ "What I understand is that you turned the boy that saved my life and Zoe's, and nearly died rescuing you from Atlas, into a girl in his sleep because you couldn't handle being saved by a man. What I understand is that said girl and Thalia, both of whom are on the top of Kronos' "Capture or Kill" list, are missing and totally unfindable even by the gods. What I understand is that Olympus cares nothing for its children. We'll, I'm not going to fight and die for people who don't care for my life. Goodbye, Artemis. I hope we don't meet again." _

_ With those heartbreaking words, Bianca pulled of the small silver circlet marking her as a Hunter and tossed it on the ground, crushing it beneath her heel before fading into the shadows, even as the others shouted for her not to go. Artemis remained stock still, deaf to the world, as she stared with a shattered heart at the small crumpled remains of Bianca's circlet. Numbly, she touched her cheeks, feeling cold, and realized that her face was soaked with tears. Retreating into her tent before her Hunters could see her condition, she broke down into sobs. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. Sure, she acted like a cold-hearted bitch all the time, but she had endured a lot over the millennia. Hunters dying in battle, leaving the Hunt. Orion's betrayal and death at her hands. And through it all, she was alone. She had no one to open her heart to. And now, when she had finally found that person, they were gone because of her actions, and her life was collapsing around her because of it.  _

_ What did she do now? _

_ Flashback Ends _

** "...bring it on! The Sea will not kowtow to the Sky any longer! I am sick and tired of you acting like you are all high and mighty simply because you rule the Sky! My Daughter will be the Child of Prophecy, and show you that the Sea is greater than the Sky!" ** Poseidon's voice, filled with anger and power broke Artemis from her thoughts, and she looked up, eyes widening in shock as she saw the scene before her.

Hades, who was present due to the importance of the meeting, was trying to calm his two younger siblings down, both of whom had ascended to their godly forms and were in full armor, weapons in hand. The three blades of of Poseidon's tridents were shrouded in a heavy mist. Zeus' lightning bolt had disappeared inside of the white-hot, crackling aura of its activated form. Athena and Ares had their swords and shields ready. Hermes had his staff in laser-mode, Apollo his bow. Aphrodite and Demeter were yelling, trying to get their fellows to sit down, while Dionysus appeared to be asleep in his throne.

"Enough!" Artemis shouted, leaping to her feet and stomping her foot, making the room shake and everyone to look at her. Glaring around at them all, she continued. "Fighting amongst ourselves will gain us nothing and Kronos everything! Both children of the Great Prophecy are missing and feeling great anger towards Olympus right now! Our ONLY concern is finding them safely and bringing them back to be protected and trained! Now, in a two nights, the full moon will rise! With my power at its height, I WILL be able to find them, maidens that they are, and save them before they get themselves killed! I will NOT allow any harm to come to them! This situation is of my making, because I didn't explain to Jackson what had to be done! I WILL be the one to fix the problem I caused!"

"The spawn of Poseidon will suffer for leading Thalia away. MY daughter will be the one, true Child of Prophecy! MY child will be the one to save Olympus!" Zeus shouted back at her, and Artemis' eyes narrowed before she walked over and slapped her father hard, rocking him back with the blow. Even as Poseidon smirked and started to laugh, she turned on him and gave him the same treatment.

"Both of you are fools!" she shouted, glaring at them hotly as they stared at her in mingled shock and fury. "These attitudes of yours are the root of all of our problems!"

She glared around the throne room, letting everyone know she was speaking to all of them now. "Our arrogance and cruel neglect is the very reason that the minor gods and goddesses are turning against us! The very reason so many demigods have joined Kronos! None of us have done _anything_ for them save for claiming them, and even then, we do so only rarely!"

She looked from face to face and was pleased to see that Hades, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, and even, Chaos preserve her, Aphrodite seemed to be listening to her, at least a little. The others, however, seemed dismissive or appalled at her words.

"Since when do you care, little sis?" Apollo scoffed, looking at her and shaking his head. "You are just as arrogant and cruel as you say the rest of us are! You go around killing or maiming men simply for crossing paths with the you! You teach young girls that all men are the same, when you know for a fact that it isn't true!"

"I do what I have to to protect them!" Artemis snapped angrily, before sighing and calming herself. She continued after a moment in an even tone of voice. "I am well aware of my faults. The events of the past month, and talking with Aunt Hestia," here everyone turned to glance at the Goddess of the Hearth, who was smiling brightly at her niece. "Have shown me just how wrong I have been over the centuries. Bianca leaving the Hunt showed me just how other people have come to view me. I looked in the mirror and was disgusted by what I saw there. In me I saw the same horrific traits that I am always "punishing" men for. Arrogance, cruelty, pride, bigotry, sexism. Does that mean that I like men, and will take one into my bed? Of course not, I have no desire to spread my legs for any _man_ , but no longer will I commit murder without sufficient proof that the target of my wrath is deserving."

The room was silent after the Moon Goddesses impassioned speech, before Zeus snorted in amusement and mingled disgust.

"It seems even you have been corrupted by that sea-scum, Artemis." he sneered, glaring at her angrily, a glare Artemis returned measure for measure. He snorted again and spun on his heel. "I have no interest into listening to this nonsense anymore. Council dismi..."

"Father, look!" Hermes cried, waving his hand and causing an image to expand in the air. The Olympian Council looked at the image to see something that shocked them all to the core. It was a news image from a mortal television station, showing a reporter in New York, live.

_ The image was dark, as swirling clouds swept over the city. Thunder boomed and echoed as massive bolts of lightning arced across the sky. The young reporter's long brunette hair fluttered violently in powerful winds, winds powerful enough that small, parked cars were slowly being pushed from their spots sideways into the road. The ground appeared to be shaking steadily, as the young woman appeared to be having trouble keeping her feet. _

_ "That's right, Katie! I'm here in downtown Manhattan, and its just incredible! Steady winds of nearly 40 miles per hour came up out of nowhere, and as you can see above me, we have what looks to be shaping up to one of the biggest and most powerful thunderstorms in history over the city. You can hear the waves from here, even over the wind, Katie. From what people have told the studio, and you've told me, the waves are cresting at nearly a story in height and growing still larger. And the ground, Katie, its just shaking! From what they tell me, the constant quaking is a little stronger than a category five earthquake on the Richter scale. Police and Fire units are trying to move everyone away from the epicenter of the quake, while I've been told that the Army and National Guard has been called in to reinforce said Police and Fire. The Corps of Engineers best are on their way to try and help ascertain the level of danger, but from what I've been told it is likely...OH MY GOD!" the woman was saying, only to be interrupted by her own frightened exclamation when lightning began to strike repeatedly on nearly every tall building in view. The massive CRACK! BOOMS! of the strikes were painful even over the microphone, and the reporter looked off screen and nodded hastily to someone out of view before looking back at the camera. "Katie, my team and I have just been flat out ordered to vacate the area, the military has arrived and wants everyone within ten miles of the epicenter gone. Back to you in the studio. C'mon, Paul, lets get the hell out of..." _

The image vanished with a wave of Hermes' hand, and everyone immediately looked at the Big Three, who looked back at them blankly, before realizing what they wanted to know.

'Not me!" Poseidon declared, holding his hands out in the stereotypical "my hands are empty" gesture.

"It's not me, I have enough restraint not to randomly throw my power around in a city full of mortals." Hades shrugged, not mentioning that he was the only one of the trio with actual restraint.

"I didn't do it!" Zeus declared, and received skeptical or outright disbelieving looks in return. "Do you really think I would go about using my power in plain view of mortals with no regard for the consequences?"

"YES!" came the resounding answer from the rest of the room, and he scowled childishly.

"Well, its not me!" he growled, and the other Olympians exchanged looks of confusion at the honesty in his tone and aura.

"well, if it isn't any of us, then who could it be?" Hera asked, confused, and Athena's eyes widened.

"Which two demigods are missing?" she asked sharply, and everyone sent her strange looks.

"Thalia and my daughter. You know that, Athena..." Poseidon said slowly, looking concerned despite their rivalry.

"Poseidon. Lord of the Seas. Storm-Bringer and Earth-Shaker. Zeus, Lord of Skies and Lightning." she said as if it explained everything. Which, it did, they realized. The two most powerful demigods in centuries were both missing. A series of natural disasters in line with their inherited powers occurring in New York.

No one but Artemis noticed that Hestia had already flashed out as soon as Athena had asked who was missing. The Huntress narrowed her eyes slightly in contemplation. Her aunt had taken to reacting badly whenever anyone spoke ill of the two missing girls, not that anyone else noticed, and she seemed much happier of late, and often vanished to who knows where for long periods of time.

"We need to reclaim control of our realms, brothers." Hades said, focusing his will on calming the earth. "Artemis, go down and try to find the girls. The rest of you, stay out of the way."

Artemis gave her uncle a strange look for a moment before nodding and flashing away even as the Big Three closed their eyes and reached out, trying to keep New York in one piece.

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** During the Council Meeting **

"How much further to your mom's place, Riven?" Thalia asked as the pair walked the streets of New York City. The white-haired girl looked around for a moment, frowning in thought, and shrugged.

"Maybe ten minutes, but not much longer than that. Honestly, might be shorter than that. I haven't been home in a while..." her voice trailed off sadly, and Thalia grabbed her hand in a comforting gesture. Both girls blushed faintly at the warmth of the other's hand, but smiled brightly at each other anyway. Having the comforting presence of a friend right now meant a lot to both of them. Of course, each was sure that the other didn't think of them as anything more than a friend. Thalia was convinced that Riven was in love with Annabeth, while Riven was sure Thalia could never care for her after her transformation.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at the large apartment in which Sally Jackson-Blofis and her husband Paul lived. Knocking on the door, the pair waited for it to open. After several long moments, and not a single sound had been heard on the other side of it, Riven frowned and pulled out her keychain while Thalia looked up and down the street cautiously. Both of them had a really bad feeling about this...

The door swung open with a click, and the two girls slowly and carefully entered the building. Shutting the door behind her, Riven raised her voice.

"Mom, are you home? I'm back from Camp Half-blood!" she called, but her call went unanswered, and the air of the building felt dead, stagnant.

"Something is very wrong here, Riven!" Thalia hissed worriedly, slapping her bracelet and clicking her Mace canister. Aegis spiraled to life on her arm even as her electric spear extended to its full, deadly length, crackling with energy.

"I know, its too quiet. The car is here, but they would have answered us if they were home." Riven agreed, clicking her pen to transform Riptide. The pair slowly advanced towards the living room, weapons and powers ready. Hesitating outside the doorway, the pair nodded to each other before kicking the door in together. The wooden barricade fell with a resounding crash, and the pair charged into an abattoir. Blood coated the walls, human body parts were flung haphazardly around the room in pieces, and twin spikes jutting from the floor. Paul and Sally's decapitated heads were impaled on them, mouths opened in silent screams of pain and terror. On the back wall, written in the blood of Riven's family, was a message for the white-haired demigoddess.

" ** _So always to those who oppose the might of Lord Kronos! This is just the beginning, Child of Poseidon! They will not be the first to die!"_**

Thalia looked on in shocked horror, while Riven fell to her knees, arms wrapped around herself, shaking violently, sobs wracking her frame. Shaking herself from the horrific sight of seeing the people she considered to be her mortal parents torn to pieces, Thalia quickly returned her weapons of their disguised forms and knelt beside Riven, holding the snow-haired and broken-hearted teen to her.

"They won't get away with this, Riven, I promise you!" she swore softly, feeling hatred for whomever had done this consuming her before she shoved it aside to focus on Riven. Sally and Paul were mortals, civilians in the war between the gods and Titans. She could tell that killing them was the work of demigods, not monsters, from the relatively clean separation of the head from the neck. Which meant this was a deliberate attack meant to shatter Riven's spirit. Thalia felt a sort of bitter pride in her cousin. It seemed Kronos knew who his biggest threat was...wait a moment, was the room shaking?

Thalia looked around in concern, and her eyes widened as she noticed that the entire house was shaking around them, furniture and pictures rattling from the vibrations before crashing to the ground. The sky outside the window was rapidly darkening as storm clouds swept across it in seconds, blanketing the entire city in darkness even as thunder began to boom and lightning arced across the sky. Rain poured down in sheet, and Thalia's eyes widened as she realized what was going on.

Her crush was a daughter of Poseidon. Poseidon, Lord of the Sea, the Earth-Shaker, and Storm-Bringer. And she was _pissed_. Her power was flaring around her wildly, and Thalia yelped involuntarily as Riven's body was wreathed in flames. The flames, however, did not burn either of them. In fact, Thalia found them warm and comforting in a sense, and pulled the girl closer.

"Riven! Riven, I know you're hurt and angry, but destroying New York City will accomplish nothing! Riven, please!" she cried desperately, but there was no response as the flames grew larger, and the storm and ground-quakes grew more powerful. Cracks were beginning to show on the walls and floor of the house like spider webs.

Seeing how empty her friend's eyes were terrified Thalia. It looked like Riven's pain and anger had finally pushed her to the brink. Her body was on autopilot now, her mind lost in her anger and powers. She had to get through to her somehow, but what could she do? Making a snap decision, Thalia wrenched Riven's head until it faced her and did the only thing she could think of.

Kissed her hard on the mouth.

**_ TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE _ **

Riven felt herself jolt back into reality, free from the depths of her anger, as she felt Thalia's soft lips on her own. For a moment, she was too shocked to do anything, but then instinctually leaned into the kiss slightly, warmth spreading throughout her entire body at the sensation. Throwing all rational thought away, she focused only on Thalia. She needed this, needed _her_. She needed the comfort, the security, the love that she could feel flowing off of Thalia. It was her anchor, her rock, keeping her from losing herself.

Thalia was blissful, any thoughts of Riven's near-destruction of the city lost in the feeling of the kiss. Sure, it wasn't what she wanted for a first kiss with Riven, but better than nothing, right? She pushed all over her love, her need for Riven into the kiss, into her aura, trying to calm the other girl down, trying to show her that not everything was lost.

The moment (though in truth is was many minutes) ended violently, however, when Hestia flashed into the room and grabbed them both before flashing out again. Dropping them both unceremoniously in a large forest clearing, she called for them to stay there before flashing back to the apartment, arriving just in time to see Artemis entering the building.

"Hestia, how swiftly you were able to arrive here, when I had to search for this place for several minutes." Artemis said cooly with narrowed eyes. Hestia calmly returned the look and shrugged slightly.

"It seems we both found the proper place." she replied easily, looking about the building. She hadn't taken the time to really notice her surroundings when she evacuated her champions, but now that she looked around, she noticed the severe damage wrought by Riven. But why had she done it?

"What could have caused the girls to do this? While both have tempers and sometimes have lost control of their powers, this is no momentary lapse. This was either deliberate, or they were truly lost in emotions." Artemis commented, as if reading her mind. "Since this is Poseidon's daughter's home, I doubt it was deliberate damage."

"Then what could have unbalanced her emotionally enough to do all this?" Hestia murmured, before her eyes narrowed as she spotted the shattered living room door. Feeling apprehensive, she looked at Artemis and nodded to the wreckage. The silver-eyes huntress nodded, summoning her bow and notching an arrow while Hestia herself summoned her fire to her, ready to consume any threat.

The pair slowly edged towards the room before entering quickly, freezing in shock and horror at the sight before them.

"By Chaos..." Artemis breathed in sorrow, looking at the severed heads. she had watched over Sally, and later Paul, while Perseus was doing battle for Olympus. Sally was, in her mind, the ideal mother. Everything Hera _should_ act like, but didn't. Sweet, kind, helpful, loving, and placing her family before herself, yet still being the firm and disciplining adult that all children needed in their youth. And Paul, though he was a man, was as good a man as any for her. Though they were only recently dating, he had remained steadfastly loyal to her, despite other woman trying to garner his attention. He had cherished her as much as Percy did, and worked hard to ensure her happiness. her eyes fell on the bloody writing on the wall and her hands tightened in rage, her bow creaking dangerously as it came close to snapping.

" **How dare they!"** her normally sweet and peaceful aunt roared, and Artemis actually backed away as Hestia became wreathed in fire that burned so hot, Artemis actually started sweating. **"I'll burn them all to ashes, body and soul! Tartarus is too good for them! They will burn, _burn_ , _BURN_ in eternal agony, in eternal damnation!"**

Artemis was actually shaking slightly in fear. She had never, ever, seen her normally kind and sweet aunt like this, and was presently being reminded of the fact that Hestia was the oldest of the Olympians, older even than the Big Three. She flinched back slightly when Hestia turned her, literally, fiery gaze onto the maiden goddess.

** "Artemis, you will inform my little brothers about what has transpired here! I am going hunting!"  ** she ordered, and vanished in a pillar of white-hot flame. The thought of disobeying never crossing her mind, Artemis immediately flashed back to Olympus to find her family waiting.

"Artemis, my daughter, what did you find?" Zeus inquired, eager for news of Thalia.

"A truly horrific scene, Father. You are right Athena, it was the two Children of Prophecy creating all the damage and chaos, but they weren't there when I arrived. What was there, however, is the cause of their anger and loss of control. I will show you what they saw." Artemis reported, hesitating before looking at Poseidon sadly. "I am so, so sorry Uncle. I would never wish this on anyone."

Poseidon opened his mouth to ask what she meant when she waved her hand, showing her memories of arriving at the Jackson apartment. The Council murmured in shock and disquiet at the obviously heavy damage done to the building. It still didn't explain, however, Artemis' sorrowful and heartfelt apology to Poseidon. Not, at least, until the memory showed the brutal and nightmarish death-room of Sally Jackson and Paul Blofis.

Reactions were instantaneous and diverse.

Dionysus gave an imperceptible shrug before falling asleep again.

Zeus' eyes widened as he was faced with definitive proof that his father was rising, before smirking as he considered the potential result. With some luck, the sea-chit was totally broken and useless now. His Thalia would be the Child of Prophecy, proving once more how superior his children (and therefore himself) were. Sympathy for his brother's loss crossed his mind before his arrogance and pride pushed it aside.

Poseidon, of course, had near-about collapsed in his throne, sobbing uncontrollably into his hands. He had truly loved Sally Jackson, and had even offered her godhood and a place in his palace, but she had refused. And the pain, oh the pain he could imagine his precious daughter was feeling after seeing this sight in person. The seas in the mortal world, his domain, reflected his pain. Great waves crashed upon the shorelines, ships were overturned, great storms boiled across the waters.

Aphrodite felt literal pain at the agonizing heartbreak she could feel from her favorite relative, and she flitted over to him, trying to make him feel better, but at a loss as to how to do so.

Hera, for all her millennia of hatred for demigods, and anger with her family for cheating to create said demigods, saw the true and unadulterated pain her brother was feeling, and her own horror at the sight before them. Sure, she resented the sea-spawn for being the result of her brother's infidelity, but NO ONE should ever have to see that kind of thing done to their mother. She glanced at her brother, biting her bottom lip, as she debated comforting him. Glancing at her husband for a moment, she sighed internally and turned her face away from Poseidon, ashamed of her inability to comfort family for the sake of keeping her husband mollified.

Hephaestus was fiddling with some trinkets in his throne, eyes down to hide the small tears hidden inside their amber depths. He wanted dearly to comfort his Uncle, as his wife did, but he had never been good with other people. Since he had been tossed aside by Hera, literally, he had learned to close himself off from others, to better protect himself from the pain of such rejection. Unfortunately, he was quite sure this attitude contributed to the ever-present rift that seemed to exist between himself and Aphrodite. Not for the first time, he silently cursed his reclusive nature.

Apollo was in shock. Though he cared little for mortals, and only slightly more for his children, he couldn't imagine seeing such a sight. Still, what surprised him most was the fact that his sister seemed to care. His eyes narrowed as he considered possible reasons why. If she had fallen for Poseidon's kid...well, he had dealt with that before, hadn't he? No one was allowed to be close with his little sister, no one but him!

Athena, though she disliked the child of Poseidon on principle for her very nature, and her friendship with Annabeth, couldn't deny the pain she felt for the child. The scene was horrific to the utmost, and she prayed to The Maker that she never had to come upon a scene like that, but one that instead featured her children. Her eyes flickered to Poseidon and softened at the pain he was in. Rivals they may be, but that had little to do with the current situation.

Hades, for his part, was infuriated. His younger brother's daughter had saved his children many times over, and done much for the gods despite their (and, he admitted shamefully, his own) acts against him...erm, her, and he mentally ordered Alecto to find the two souls and bring them to his palace for him to take to Elysium personally. He wanted to thank the two people responsible for making the sea-spawn who she was.

Ares was frowning deeply. While he was no fan of Poseidon's kid, she was a good fighter and was turning out to be a good friend for Clarisse. Plus, this whole attack was so cowardly and underhanded, it just pissed him off. There was no honor in killing civilians just to mess with someone's mind.

Demeter was deeply upset, though more because of the crime itself than who it had been done too. It wasn't that she _disliked_ the child of Poseidon, in fact she appreciated her friendliness with her eldest daughter Katie, but the fact remained that since she had shown up, there had been a lot of conflict, and Demeter didn't like conflict. However, much like others, she couldn't imagine seeing such a thing done to your mother.

Hermes was more concerned with whether or not his son Luke had done this horrible crime. Sure, he personally was sorry for Poseidon's kid, but he had much more important things on his mind, such as trying to regain his son from Kronos.

Artemis was, in a rare show of kind emotions, was also trying to comfort Poseidon alongside Aphrodite.

"Uncle, Hestia is hunting down the demigods responsible. She promised the most horrific fates that can be imagined for them." she murmured to him, knowing that he would want revenge. The sea god grunted his understanding, and drew a deep shuddering breath as he calmed himself down, bringing his domain under his control to keep deaths at a minimum.

"And my child, Artemis? Did you find my precious daughter?" he asked through gritted teeth, and Artemis shook her head sadly.

"No, Uncle. I can only imagine that she fled in grief or rage before I arrived there." she said with regret, and Poseidon nodded tightly.

"Thank you, Niece." he sighed, before looking up at her with pleading eyes. "I'm counting on you, Artemis. I need you to find her at the full moon. Please, before I see her butchered and displayed like meat."

"I will do everything in my power and more, Uncle." Artemis promised fervently, and meant it. She would find the girl, and she would tell her everything. Why she had turned her into a girl, why she wanted her in the Hunt...and how she felt about her.

**_ TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE _ **

"Why did you kiss me, 'Lia?" Riven asked quietly. The pair was sitting in the clearing Hestia had left them in. Riven was sitting with her back to a tree and her legs folded beneath her, Thalia's head in her lap as she ran her fingers through the spiky black locks of her best friend. "Was it just out of pity, or...?"

"NO! No, of course not!" Thalia protested violently, looking up at her with wide eyes. At the raised eyebrows and silent expectation of Riven, she flushed heavily and diverted her gaze. After a long moment, she cleared her throat and explained softly. "I've...I've had a crush on you since I met you. Ever since you helped save me from the tree."

"But, we are always fighting! I thought that we were casual friends, if that?" Riven asked, surprised, though she too blushed. She had had a bit of a crush on the raven-haired lightning user as well, and been disheartened when they constantly fought.

"No, I...I was afraid. Afraid of what you would say, afraid of what my dad would do if he found out I liked you, or worse, if we got together. I was scared he would kill you, or send you on a suicide mission to "earn his approval"." Thalia replied softly, taking one of Riven's hands in her own and holding it to her chest. "I know that Clarisse led the mission, but you were the strength, will, and drive behind it. I love you, Riven Mystes."

"I...'Lia, I'm a girl now. I'm a, a freak! I wasn't born this way! I, I, I..." Riven stuttered feeling overwhelmed and, frankly, unworthy of the affection of someone as amazing as Thalia. Said girl frowned up at her in annoyance, before abruptly sitting up and turning to stare into her eyes.

"Riven, it doesn't matter who you are on the outside. On the inside, you're still the same Kelp Head that I fell in love with. Besides," she shrugged wryly and smirked a little. "I've always been a little bit bisexual, I guess. And you always liked girls, so it's no problem."

"Are you sure, Thalia? Are you sure you want to be in a relationship with me? I don't know the first thing about how to treat you, how to make you happy, how to be in a relationship." Riven said sadly, not believing she could make Thalia happy. In response, Thalia leaned in and kissed her again. Riven, despite her concerns, couldn't help but return the kiss happily.

"Neither do I. We can learn together though, so...let's just take it slow?" Thalia said after they came up for air. Riven nodded a little tearfully and pulled Thalia to her again, just holding her new girlfriend close, reveling in the closeness. Reveling in anything that would distract her from the agony waiting, hovering at the edge of her mind. Waiting for her to turn her attention to it, to plague her nightmares with images of her mom's death.

"So tell me everything I need to know about being a girl, 'Lia." she murmured, and Thalia blushed before starting to explain all the basics of being a woman. She just wondered how Riven would react as soon as her first period hit...

**_ TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE _ **

The three silently observing beings had since been joined by several more, all watching the pair, though in truth it was Riven they were watching.

"This is a dangerous game you play, Moirai." a deep voice, like that of a lioness, rumbled.

"Enough, Mistress of Dread. You roar too loud. You play the same game they do, the same game of us all." another woman spoke, her voice cold yet kind, and a third voice spoke up.

"Tsu-chan, calm yourself. It is inevitable for there to be conflict, when this many pantheons meet and place their hope in a single child..."

"You assume too much, Amaterasu. We've yet to agree to go along with the Greek plan. I for one see no reason to be this child's patron, even if you chose to." a sultry yet somehow frightening female voice spoke.

"Enough, daughter of Ninurta. We have all agreed that if the situation with the ruling pantheon is not resolved, the world is doomed. We _must_ work together to prevent this." a calm and gentle voice said, and the voice identified as the Mistress of Dread snorted in amused irritation.

"I don't even know why you're here, Sif. Humanity has forgotten you more than most others. Until recently, anyway. What do you care?"

"Midgard will always be an Asgardian concern. Simple as that." came the reply.

"Enough, all of you." the voice that many would recognize as Clotho spoke up finally. "Are your judgments complete? Is she not as we described her?"

"She is, but we will approach her in our own times. Not yours, Greek." the Mistress of Dread responded, and Clotho muttered to her sisters before finishing.

"Very well."

The Moirai vanished, and the watching deities turned their attention back to the children they hoped would preserve the world from the threats that would assail it.

**_ TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE _ **

There ya go. Read, Review, and Don't Flame. Still no beta.

 


	3. Pantheons Assemble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which Thalia, Bianca, And Riven Discover The Greek/Roman Pantheon Is NOT The Only One Still Around

** For everyone not in the know, I have a FB group, a Twitter, and a Blog. The first two often carry status updates from me about writing, while the third has pictures and descriptions of various key elements to my stories (i.e., a picture of Riven and an explanation of who she is in this story.) Go check them out, you won't regret it! AND BE SURE TO COMMENT ON THEM! **

** As a random note, I am now reading and writing Riven's voice with the voice of a female Commander Shepard from Mass Effect...cause, you know, sexy badass leader soldier-type chicks, man... **

#################################

The Exiles

Chapter Three

Pantheons Assemble

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Riven awoke to a warm body pressed against her side, bright sunlight, a gentle breeze, and the sound of birds chirping happily as they went about foraging for food. Disoriented, she looked around, wondering where she was. Abruptly, memories of the day before came flooding back to her and she pulled Thalia's slumbering form closer to her, seeking comfort from her warmth against their horrific onslaught. Her-girlfriend? Partner?- mumbled softly in her sleep and snuggled closer, pillowing her head on Riven's breasts as one arm encircled said girl's torso and held her close. Blushing instinctively but secretly enjoying the contact, Riven remained still save for gentle running her fingers along Thalia's back while she thought about the day before.

Clearly, she couldn't go ahead and ignore this war like she had wanted to. No, Kronos and his puppet Luke had made that impossible for her when they butchered her family like cattle and displayed them like trophies. No, now this was personal, but she needed more power! She wasn't strong enough to take on the Titan King's forces herself, and any demigods with anti-Olympus sentiments had already defected, so what could she do?

She could try and recruit some of Luke's, she supposed, and perhaps get a message to her closest friends from camp. She thought they might join her, especially since she didn't want Olympus destroyed. No, as much as she hated to admit it, the gods were necessary. What she wanted was some accountability on their part. Taking responsibility for their whoring about, watching over the earth as they were meant to, treating their found children right, etc. A bargaining chip, perhaps? She and any followers she garnered would save Olympus in return for oath-bound concessions? After all, she and Thalia were the Children of the Great Prophecy. Olympus _needed_ them to survive.

Oh yes, she knew about the Prophecy, despite everyone being hush-hush about it. She had overheard Chiron and Dionysus discussing it one night...

_ Flashback! _

_ "Mr. D, you know they are the Children of Prophecy! They  _ need _to receive advanced training!" Chiron was arguing emphatically to the lazy and dismissive former demigod, who merely sighed heavily._

_ "Listen, pony-man, Father doesn't want the sea spawn becoming too strong, so he will  _ not _be getting extra training. Father will not allow Poseidon's child to pose a threat to him. His child Thalia will be the one of the Prophecy."_

_ "Mr. D, that's ludicrous! You heard the Prophecy!" Chiron retorted before reciting it.  _ **_ " Shattered, The Exile, Child Of One Of Three, Will Be Reforged By The Strength Of Many. Her companions, Sisters in Arms, Cousins By Blood. Guided By Ancients, Loved By All. Reunited, The Forsaken Will Return, And Preserve The Earth From Olympus' Failings."  _ **

_ "Like I said, Father is unwilling to risk Poseidon's brat getting too powerful. He may or may not be indicated in the Prophecy, but Father will ensure that it is Thalia who leads, not the boy." Dionysus said with an edge to his voice. "You are forbidden of speaking of this to either of them, and from letting them know through more circuitous means. Now, go run off and play with your brats." _

_ Flashback Ends! _

She had left quickly before she could be discovered, but she had never forgotten the Prophecy. It was one of the reasons she had chosen her new name and title. She would not allow anyone or anything to control her future, her fate.

"The future is not set in stone. There is no fate but that which we make for ourselves." she murmured to herself, but jumped when dry, cackling laughter echoed through the clearing. Jumping, she jostled Thalia's head, waking the other girl instantly as Riven summoned Riptide, clutching a disoriented and vulnerable close for protection.

"Easy there, child. I mean you and your lover no harm." an elderly but strong and wise voice spoke as the Moirai appeared from between the trees. "We're here to help you."

"Right, because three old ladies that go around screwing up people's lives and then killing them are just wonderful people I want to listen to!" Riven snapped back, much to the apparent amusement of the Moirai and the terror of Thalia, who was worried that her girlfriend was about to get fried for disrespecting the Fates themselves.

"Calm yourself, child. We know you're not in the best of moods for many reasons, all of them good, but we are here to help you with the very issue you were mulling over not minutes ago." Clotho chastised gently, and Riven crooked an eyebrow.

"Not the best of moods? I've been turned into a girl, I'm sore and achy, I have a migraine, my parents got tortured and butchered like animals, I'm the key to saving I bunch of arrogant whores who are useless for anything positive, and I'm on the run from my _dear_ grandfather who wants my head on a platter!" she retorted, as the wind began to whip and swirl, and clouds began to gather rapidly. Her voice rose as she continued. "And the best you can say is that I'm "NOT IN THE BEST OF MOODS?"

"Enough!" the Moirai barked in unison, flaring their own incredible auras and shocking Riven out of her anger. Immediately, the clouds cleared and the sun shone again, leaving the two demi-gods blinking at the three wizened beings. Clotho sighed heavily and continued. "Riven, we know that you are frightened and feeling abandoned, but the world still turns. We," here she indicated to herself and her sisters. "Need your help. In due time, members of other pantheons will present themselves to you, and test you. Should you pass the tests, you and yours will gain power beyond anything you could dream of. Power enough to make your desires reality."

"What's in it for you?" Thalia asked suspiciously, eyeing the three of them. "Sounds like you're offering a lot of power for nothing in return. What's your angle?"

"You help us, we all get what we want. You get the power to achieve your goals and protect your siblings, we get to keep the world spinning." Atropos said bluntly, and Lachesis sighed at her.

"What my sister is saying is that the ruling pantheon cannot be trusted to protect the earth from the threats rising against it. Gaea is stirring, as are Apophis, the Jotuns, and more besides. The time of Prophecy is at hand, and _you_ must be prepared to stand, Riven The Exile. You came into this world to protect it. It is time to begin fulfilling that purpose." she elaborated, and Riven blinked at them before groaning and rubbing a hand over her face.

"So, let me get this straight. According to you, I am destined to protect this planet from all enemies foreign and domestic, and that is the entire reason I was ever born, so gods from a bunch of pantheons will just show up and start teaching me to be some sort of all-powerful guardian-person?" she asked, and the Moirai nodded slightly in unison. Riven deadpanned perfectly in reply. "Bullshit. Tell Olympus that if they want me back, they're going to need to use force. C'mon, 'Lia, let's go."

With that, and ignoring the shocked looks on the three Fates' faces, the bronze-skinned demigoddess turned on her heel, slung her pack onto her shoulders and started walking away. Thalia glanced at the trio before shrugging and doing the same, quickly catching up with her lover.

"Well, sisters, I can't say that I remember us being told of so...boldly and bluntly before. Even the gods give us fearful respect." Clotho said after a long moment, sounding slightly proud.

"It was rather...refreshing actually." Atropos said, sounding surprised by her own words. "Reminds me of back when Odin All-Father found out that we had fated Loki to turn against him. My, I never knew a king could be so... _vulgar_."

"Or so inventive." Lachesis agreed with a nod, before glancing in the direction the two half-humans had left in. "So...what shall we do about this?"

"The other pantheons will take it from here. We Fates simply watch from here on out." Clotho said definitively before vanishing along with her sisters.

#################################

"Riven, are you sure that being so, well, rude to the Fates themselves was such a good idea?" Thalia asked tentatively after several minutes, and said demigoddess snorted angrily.

"I don't care one way or the other. I will control my own fate! I am no one's puppet, no one's soldier, no one's shield! I fight for what I believe in and the people I love. Nothing more and nothing less!" she growled angrily, running a hand threw silver locks.

**_ "Well said, Riven Exilia, child of Greece."  _ ** a deep, yet somehow feminine voice, rumbled. Riven's hand flicked out, suddenly filled with Riptide, while Thalia was a few moments slower to summon her shield and spear, as a tall dark-skinned woman with the head of a lion, naked save for a sheer loincloth covering her crotch and a quiver of arrows on her back. A golden bow was in her right hand, but was not raised in preparation to attack.

"We agreed to wait!" another feminine voice spoke up as a black-haired woman wearing tight armor with fur trim, and wielding a sword, came into view. Slowly, several more filtered into view, each with varying appearances.

"I'll be damned, they were telling the truth..." Riven breathed, staring around at the group of women, and one of them, a Oriental looking woman with knee-length black hair dressed in a pure white _kimono_ snorted in annoyance.

"Of course they were, child! What, did you think we would leave the world to die just because you're about to have your first period?" she chastised, and Thalia blinked at them before looking at her lover.

"Riven...?" she asked, trailing off, and the silver-haired warrior shook her head to clear it before pointing at the lion-headed lady.

"Sekhmet, the Mistress of Dread. The goddess of war and healing for ancient Egypt. Said to be the greatest hunter of all time, she is also said to hunt all the evils of the world at the behest of Ra." Riven answered, an Thalia froze in disbelief.

_ "Egypt?  _ But how?!" she cried, and Sekhmet growled in annoyance.

** "Surely you don't think your Greek gods always ruled? No, they are the latest of a long line. They still rule because they are the most recent true pantheon in human history. They are no greater than the rest of us." ** she rumbled her displeasure, and Riven laid a hand on a now-trembling Thalia's shoulder.

"Leave her be, until a few months ago she was a foolish follower of Olympus stuck in a tree by her father." she said warningly, and Sekhmet hissed in amusement, her bad mood suddenly vanishing.

** "I like you child. I've decided, I shall teach the both of you the ways of the Egyptian god-warriors. Our version of your demi-gods." **

"Sekhmet, we agreed we would all test them!" a fire-haired (literally) Oriental woman, dressed similarly to her cultural compatriot, chastised.

** "Bah, test them all you like Amaterasu, but I shall aid them regardless. My Lord Ra gave me the choice, and I have chosen."  ** the One Before Whom Evil Trembles replied with a casual shrug.

"Each of us will test them in our own way. Now, let us begin..."

The two demigods glanced at each other and whimpered slightly as their new acquaintances closed in on them.

"Mercy...?" Riven pleaded, and they smirked together, shaking their heads.

#################################

The pair of newly tested and abused demigods lay in groaning heaps before the pleased and unruffled goddesses, and Sif sighed happily as she cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders.

"Ah, I haven't had a good fight like that in a long time. It's just no fun fighting my fellow Asgardians anymore, we know all of each other's techniques and skills." she said cheerfully, and Riven chuckled dryly as she sat up, wincing.

"I'm glad that you're so pleased to have new people to pound on, Sif. I would hate to let you get bored." she mumbled as she scooted over to Thalia and started checking her girlfriend over. "You doing okay, 'Lia?"

"I'm still alive, more or less." the daughter of Zeus groaned unhappily, although she enjoyed the soothing feeling of her lover's hands checking her wounds. A feeling of coolness washed over her, making her gasp slightly, before moaning as her wounds stopped hurting and faded away. She looked over to see Riven, a look of concentration on her face, guiding water out of a water bottle across her injuries. Thalia was struck breathless, both at the power and skill her girlfriend was exhibiting with her powers, but also with the intensity of her concern and desire to make her feel better that was showing on her face. It made her feel warm, and precious, and was downright sexy too.

"So, did we pass your tests?" Riven asked in a clipped town as she checked Thalia for more injuries. The various immortals exchanged glances, recognizing both the tone and its cause, as well as the lack of care for an answer in her tone. The young mortal didn't care whether she had their approval or not.

"Yes, you have, for the most part." Amaterasu said finally, and Riven gave a short, choppy nod.

"Fine. We will help with this plan of yours to protect the world, but I want things in return." she stated firmly, and the godly beings exchanged glances again. "I need power, a lot of it, to be able to perform this mission of yours. I need recruits, with multiple skill-sets. I need time displacement fields of some sort. We have maybe 18 months before Thalia and I turn 16, and the fate of Olympus is decided. I want my people to be prepared. I won't send them to be cannon fodder like the gods prefer to. They will be as well-trained as possible before we fight. We need someplace to use as a base, and I have just the idea. I need some smith-god children for it, though."

"Power you will have, if you prove worthy . But for now..." Sif said, before vanishing into the trees. There was a yelp and scuffling before she reappeared, dragging a raven-haired girl dressed in black armor into the clearing by her collar. Dumping her in the middle of the group, she drew her sword and presented it to the girl's throat. "For now, you will tell us who you are, who you serve, and why you are listening in on us."

"Hold on..." Riven murmured, moving closer to the girl and trying to get a better look at her. Eyes widening, she breathed. "Bianca?"

And it was indeed the daughter of Hades, looking up at Sif with a face carved from stone, eyes hard. She looked a little worse for wear, her armor scuffed and smudged with dirt, her hair having twigs and leaves in it, both from Sif's rough handling of her and from her own trekking through the dense forest.

"I'm going to assume that you're the child of Poseidon that I've been looking for ages." Bianca growled, sounding rather displeased. "Do you know how long I've been tracking you? Even with help from my father and the Furies, I could barely find any signs of you."

"So, you've found us, huh? Where is your man-hating Mistress and tree-hugger buddies?" Riven narrowed her eyes, looking around the clearing as if expecting the aforementioned people jump out of the bushes to haul her back to Camp Half-Blood.

"I left the Hunt not long after I found out what _she_ had done to you. I...I had deluded myself into thinking that she was better than the stories make her appear. I...I thought that I had finally found a place to belong. But honestly, I felt more at home on that quest with you in charge than I ever have in the Hunt. My place is with you and Thalia.'' Bianca replied honestly, and Riven exchanged glances with Thalia that spoke volumes. After a long moment, the Goth girl nodded slightly and Riven sighed before offering a hand to the slumped girl, who stared at it for a long moment.

"Come on, don't sit there all day. We've got work to do." Riven said impatiently.

"Thank you...?" Bianca trailed off, unsure of what to call her, and she grinned.

"Riven, Riven Exilia. The Exile. That's my new name." she answered the unspoken question, and Bianca grasped her hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet.

"Thank you, Riven." she said softly, before looking around at the surrounding deities. "Please, teach me as well. I owe Riven everything, and it's time I repaid the debt."

"You used to be a Hunter of the Moon, yes?" Sif double-checked, and at Bianca's nod hummed to herself before continuing. "Alright, I think we can skip the majority of the testing for you, since Artemis will have taught you plenty. Now, we need to get you girls to the training grounds for our pantheons."

With that, Sif placed her hand on Thalia's shoulder, while Tsukiyoumi did the same for Bianca and Sekhmet grabbed Riven. A blaze of light later, and the clearing was empty. Moments later, Hestia flashed into the clearing and looked around frantically. Giving a shout of anger and worry, she flashed away again, leaving a large scorch mark in the center of it.

#################################

"So you all pooled your demigods together instead of separating them?" Riven asked curiously, as she and her two friends followed the group of goddesses through the camp, ignoring the curious stares and murmurings of said demigods as a crowd began to form and follow them towards the center of camp.

"Yes. Unlike the Greek and Roman gods, we refuse to allow our children to fight and kill each other simply because our peoples may not have gotten along all that well once upon a time. There are too few of them as it is without wasting their lives in petty squabbling. Not to mention fighting each other puts the world itself at risk." Amaterasu answered, smiling at several of her children that they were passing.

"As it should be." Bianca murmured, Thalia voicing her own agreement a heartbeat later. Riven herself nodded silently as they arrived at what was clearly the main gathering point of the camp, a large stage-like structure in front of a hall-sized building that was an interesting blend of Japanese, Norse, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian architecture. Amaterasu led the group up onto the stage, where the goddesses took the fore as their children filled the grassy expanse before them.

"Hello, sons and daughters of us all." the Japanese Goddess of the Sun said with a warm smile, looking around at them all, showing favoritism to none. The crowd murmured their own replies back, and she looked at her compatriots before continuing. "As you know, many of our ancient enemies are stirring," she paused again as the crowd nodded and various sounds of assent and worry filtered forward. Smiling reassuringly, she kept speaking. "As are the ancient foes of other pantheons, but do not lose hope. Myself, along with the others, have been guided by The Fates themselves to the trio of young women standing behind me. One of whom is the Child of Prophecy. Riven, if you please?"

Blinking in surprise, Riven shook her apprehension aside and stepped forward, taking the podium from the goddess. Staring out over the sea of curious, and in some cases unwelcoming faces, she reminded herself why she was here, and why she agreed to this.

To keep people from going through what she did.

"Hello, all of you." she spoke finally, voice echoing over the still and silent crowd. "My name is Riven Exilia, daughter of the Greek god Poseidon."

That certainly got a reaction, with several demigods shuffling slightly and exchanging glances with friends, while a faint murmuring swept through the crowd.

"Many of you want to know why I am here. What purpose a member of the ruling pantheon's forces has doing here. I assure you that this isn't a prelude to war, or an invasion, or anything of the like." she continued, noting the suspicion and disbelief on many faces in the crowd. "I am, myself, along with my two friends here, on the run from the pantheon of Olympus. We three refuse to take part in a system that reduces demigods from the children of their parents, to be cherished and cared for, to expendable cannon fodder in solving the problems of the gods. Twice now, I have defied prophecy to save the lives of people I care about. Many times I have nearly been killed, either directly by the gods or by fellow demigods, because of rifts and differences of opinion, because of desire for power or greed of position."

The watching crowd could feel nothing but disgust as they listened to her speak, either because of who she was and what she represented, or because of what she was describing. All of them, however, acknowledged that she appeared to be a good speaker, and sincere.

"No more. No longer will I allow my friends and family to kill each other or be killed because of petty rivalries. No longer will I allow the gods to use us as weapons for their power plays and childish tantrums. We are living beings, people with lives, and hopes, and dreams, and it is our _right_ to live those lives, to strive for those hopes, and achieve those dreams! To shape the stories of our lives, and to live as we choose with only the fates that _we_ had a hand in making!"

At the end of what was meant to be a mere introduction, Riven was breathing heavily, fists clenched and eyes bright with determination and passion as she stared at the crowd, which was watching her in wide eyed silence. Reining herself in, Riven sighed and turned her back on the crowd and started to walk away, only to stop at the sound of cheering and applause. Shocked, she turned back to face her fellow demigods to see the majority of them looking at her with respect and even a little awe as they cheered and applauded her words. Glancing at Amaterasu, she asked a silent question with her eyes. At the goddesses nod, she stepped back up to the podium and held up her hands for silence. The crowd quieted quickly, and she spoke again.

"I thank you for that. I had not meant to speak any speeches, nor even to speak of this for some time, but I am here to train with you, learn from you, and in time, ask you to join me in my fight to protect the world the right way. To protect our families, our homes, and everything we cherish. So, I am announcing the creation of a new faction to wage war. Created by demigods, led by demigods, composed of demigods fighting together for tomorrow. Think about it. I'll always be available to talk to if need be."

This time, she did step completely away, as Bianca and Thalia introduced themselves in turn, before Sif stepped forward to speak.

"Now, we goddesses need to return to our domains for a time. However, we are asking each of you to help train these three in your fighting styles. Help them find the one that speaks to them the most. Cabin Leaders, remain for a few minutes, please. The rest of you, dismissed!"

The crowd broke up, chatting with each other about the new developments as they dispersed to return to whatever tasks they had left behind, save for eight, who approached the platform as Sif turned to Riven, Thalia, and Bianca.

"The cabin leaders will help get you settled and start showing you the ropes. Once you figure out what weapons and techniques suit you most, crush these stones," she instructed, handing each of them a small, brightly colored rock. "And we will return here to gift you with equipment and take you for advanced training, as agreed."

"Alright, then." Riven nodded her farewell to the deities before gesturing for Thalia and Bianca to follow her as she headed off the platform, towards the waiting cabin leaders.

"Nice to meet you Riven, Thalia, Bianca. My name is Chigaru, male cabin leader for the Egyptian cabin." said a brown-skinned young man with black hair and eyes. Gesturing to a girl with similar features, he continued. "This is Eshe, my female counterpart."

"A pleasure." the young white-haired woman replied with a short bow, glancing at the next pair, who stepped forward.

"My name is Kenshin, male head of the Japanese cabin. This is Ai, my own counterpart." the boy said with a deep bow, as Ai did so behind him. Both had brown hair and eyes, as well as an air of calm and wisdom to them that seemed at odds with their relatively young age. The trio of Greeks returned the bows respectfully, and Thalia murmured a greeting in Japanese, surprising the pair.

"You study other languages, Thalia Grace?" Ai asked, curious, and Thalia grimaced slightly.

"Much to my father's displeasure, yes. I always liked to study other nations spear techniques, but the Japanese _naginata_ has always drawn me the most. However, my father gave me my current spear, and I doubt asking for one based off of another nation would have gone over very well."

"I see. Come see myself sometime, I myself use the _naginata_ as my preferred weapon." Ai offered, and Thalia's face lit up and she smiled at the petite Oriental looking girl and thanked her profusely.

"I am called Sigurd. My companion is Dawn. We are the leaders of the Norse cabin." a tall and broad shouldered blond with bright blue eyes grunted, arms crossed over his chest, nodding to the equally tall, but lithe, brunette with ice-blue eyes at his side, who nodded in greeting.

"I am Zannanza of the Mesopotamian cabin, beautiful maiden. My companion is called Hadi. But don't worry, we have no romantic attachments to each other." purred a blond haired and brown eyed young man, taking Riven's hand and kissing it with an exageratted bow, and Thalia felt a swell of jealousy at his over the top flirtation. However, the flirt was spared her wrath when Hadi landed a solid punch to his ribs, causing him to release the aforementioned hand and stagger away slightly, clutching his abused ribs.

"Ignore the letch. He flirts with every girl he comes across." Hadi told the Greek trio, who eyed her warm and friendly smile with caution, having just seen her land a powerful blow.

"I'll keep that in mind. Don't really like boys anyway." Riven replied with a shrug, before turning to look at the camp. "Sif told me you could show us around?"

"That's Lady Sif to you, Greek." Sigurd glared, and Riven turned her head to stare into his eyes for a long, long moment. Much to the shock of his fellow campers, it was he who lowered his eyes first, bowing his head slightly in respect.

"As I said, Sif told us to have you show us around. We have a lot of work to do, and not alot of time to do it." Riven said calmly, looking away from the cowed Norseman, and Kenshin stepped up with a small smile.

"Please, follow me Miss Riven." he said easily, and Riven nodded, Thalia and Bianca falling in at her shoulders naturally as they followed the Japanese demigod on his tour of their new home.

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there you are, chapter three. As you can see, things will be accelerating kind of quickly due to the time constraints on our heroines. However, once we hit a certain point, we will slow down again, so stay with meh :)

 


	4. Cat Got Your Tongue?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which We Meet The Kanes...And Bast Makes Out With Riven

** Remember, this story is AU! I will be tweaking, twisting, or torching canon as I see fit! Minor crossover elements will be in abundance! Remember to read my blog (URL on my author homepage) Facebook group (found in same place), and review! **

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The Exiles

Chapter Four

Cat Got Your Tongue?

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"Greek, you and your companions are summoned to the Divine Pagoda, immediately." a Norse demigod said with stiffness bordering on rudeness, when Bianca opened the door to the three Grecian demigod's quarters the next morning at his loud pounding.

"Thank you, we'll be along presently." Bianca said as pleasantly as she could, despite being distinctly unhappy. She and Thalia were busy trying to comfort Riven, who had awoken her two friends with a horrified scream after waking and finding her thighs and bedding soaked with blood. She had been...less than pleased, and her mood had only worsened when the pair had explained everything that being a young women now meant, though her mood had improved slightly when Thalia had kissed her soundly a few times and cuddled with her whilst the trio talked.

"I said NOW, you damn Greek whore!" he spat angrily, all pretenses of politeness gone. Clearly he was one of the demigods that hated the ruling pantheon and resented the trio's "invasion".

Bianca's eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth, but before she could cut him down to size, and enraged Riven-clad only in a pair of rather sexy black lacy panties and matching bra that she had borrowed from Thalia- shoved the door open, grabbed him around the throat, and lifted him clear off of his feet.

"She said we're coming!" the incensed swordswoman growled, eyes narrowed into stormy purple slits. "If I EVER hear you disrespect Bianca or Thalia like that again, I will neuter you before cutting your heart out with a SPOON!"

With that, she hurled him off of the stoop and slammed the door shut with wall-cracking force. The Norse demigod remained sprawled on the ground, stunned both from the throw and Riven's words. When the Greek's had first arrived, he had seen weakness. Their frail bodies, small weapons, and their pretty words. He had not anticipated such an overwhelming response. Slowly, he became aware of laughter, some stifled but most not, emanating from many of the nearby demigods that had observed his failure and humiliation. Snarling in anger, his loathing of the "usurpers" fanned hotter than ever, he stomped away to find like-minded individuals.

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"Why a spoon, cousin?" Bianca asked, highly amused by Riven's choice of threats, as she watched the incensed warrior dressing herself in a Blind Guardian T-shirt and black jeans with angry, jerky movements.

"Because it's dull, you twit, it would hurt more!" she snarled harshly, garnering raised eyebrows from her companions, before flinching slightly and turning her face away from them in shame. "I'm sorry, Bianca. I shouldn't have snapped like that, especially at either of you."

"It's okay, Ri. We understand." Thalia said gently, recognizing the self-loathing in her girlfriend's voice for what it was, and feeling rather eager to stamp it out as soon as possible. "God knows that neither one of us were very good company during our first periods, or even the ones since."

"She's right, Riven. I'm not hurt or offended in the least. Although," she said thoughtfully, a small smirk spreading across her face. "I find your reason to be...sadistic and cruel, yet oddly satisfying. Inventive, too, to say the least."

Riven laughed shortly. It was a jerky, awkward sounding laugh, but it was genuine, and the snow-haired girl smiled at them both warmly, affection and trust gleaming behind misty eyes.

"Thank you, both of you." she said softly, blushing faintly as she turned back to her bed and finished dressing, lacing her steel-toed boots tightly and ensuring that Riptide was safely in her pocket before looking towards the other two with an inquiring look. Receiving a pair of nods in return, she strode out the door and into the clear, crisp morning air. Taking a moment to look around, she oriented herself to the location of the Divine Pagoda (she hoped so, at any rate, one short tour was all the reference she had) and headed purposefully in that direction, her long legs easily eating up distance that left a somewhat startled Bianca and Thalia hastening to keep up with her, before falling in a half step behind her left and right shoulders, respectively.

Try as they might, the trio couldn't ignore the stares and whispers that followed them, and while a great many were of curiosity or support, many were not. More than a few had Thalia and Bianca clenching their fists and teeth in rage, and Riven blushing heavily.

It seemed that quite a few people were talking about her "assets" in a complimentary (and often rather lewd) fashion. While Thalia most certainly agreed that her girlfriend's D-cup breasts were utterly incredible, and her firm and toned ass was utterly drool worthy, she was less than pleased that other people had seen them, even through underwear. Bianca, while not having quite as personal reason for her anger, was non-the-less angry over the disrespectful comments towards one of her favorite people.

Riven increased her pace, fighting to quell the heat in her cheeks, until they were far enough out of earshot from the commentators that she could no longer hear them. Slowing down again, she sighed gustily and ran a hand through her wild locks, glancing sidelong at her companions before speaking up again.

"Well, I suppose I should be flattered by all the attention." she said dryly, attempting to break the dark moods her friends were now in. It didn't work.

"Don't joke about this, Ri!" They've no right to talk about you like that, and they sure as hell don't have the right to _look_ at you like that when even _I_ haven't..." Thalia growled angrily, only to verbally screech to a halt and blush crimson as the other two raised their eyebrows at her.

"When even you've not...what, exactly, Thals?" Bianca asked, highly amused, as the Child of Lightning's mouth worked while she tried to come up with a reply.

"When even I've not gotten to see her naked..." the muttered response came finally, much to Riven's embarrassment (and, secretly, the thrill of knowing her girlfriend wanted her _that way_ ) and Bianca's laughter. Huffing at her cousin, Thalia snapped. "Don't laugh, damn it! It was hard enough to say it out loud with her right here!"

"Your right, I'm sorry Thalia. Just seeing _you_ of all people acting like a blushing school girl is something I never thought I would witness." Bianca admitted, still grinning broadly, and Thalia looked away, blush still raging, though she had to admit the other girl had a point. Her punk, tough-as-nails, takes-no-shit persona, formed as a byproduct of her brother's death and mother's "parenting", was not the type of person who acted romantic, flirtatious, or shy. But then, that person was starting to exist less and less, thanks to one person. Speaking of whom... She only looked back when Riven reached out and took one hand into her own. Glancing down at their interlaced fingers, she glanced up at Riven through her bangs with a shyness that seemed drastically out of character for her.

"I think you're cute when you blush, 'Lia." the daughter of Poseidon confided in her softly, and very shyly indeed. "And the fact that you're...interested in me _like that_ is...well, the feeling is mutual."

"Oh...wow." Thalia squeaked, eyes wide as she stared at Riven, who had ducked her head to hide her face as soon as she had admitted to desiring Thalia physically. The pair fell into awkward silence, and Bianca sighed silently in amusement. This was adorable and all, but they needed to keep moving, and she had to be the one to get them started, because otherwise they would stand here blushing all day.

"Come on, you two, before you give people something else to talk about." she instructed gently, and they shook themselves out of it, Riven turning to take the lead again, Thalia just behind her shoulder, their hands still linked together.

"To bad we can't make them stop talking about the first thing." Thalia grumbled under her breath, and Riven shrugged slightly as Bianca made a noise of agreement.

"Nothing to be done for it now, is there?" she pointed out, and her two companions exchanged curious looks. She seemed to have gotten over her embarrassment far faster than any other girl would have, but then even when she had been a boy she hadn't exactly been normal. They just needed to get used to the fact that Riven wasn't going to act like a normal girl for quite some time, if ever.

Some minutes later, they finally arrived at the Divine Pagoda, the largest and most central building on the midsized island that the "lesser" demigods called home. The massive structure was clearly of Japanese origin, with the iconic multi-tiered curved roofs and intricate carvings of that society. It also possessed a fair amount of Nordic and Egyptian additions, however, clearly added some time after it was built.

Stepping inside, the trio looked around, admiring the beauty and the detail of the intricate carvings and murals on the walls, depicting heroes and epic battles long lost to the ages.

"Welcome, my young Greek friends. I trust you slept well?" Amateratsu said warmly, as she and several others including Sif, Sekhmet, and an Onyx haired woman trailed by two blond twin girls entered the room.

"My Ladies." Riven responded, sketching a small yet still respectful enough bow in their direction, the action mirrored by her companions. "We slept well enough, thank you."

"Are you alright, Riven? You seem uncomfortable..." Sif asked curiously, tilting her head to the side as she noticed how carefully, almost tenderly, the white-haired swordswoman was moving and standing.

"I am, according to my companions, discovering the "joys" of a certain "monthly guest"." came the grumbled response, and the deities cast sympathetic glances in her direction. Sekhmet and the onyx-haired woman both waved hands in her direction, issuing for golden mists that settled onto her before sinking into her skin. She gave a soft gasp surprise before she sighed happily as all of her cramps and aches eased immediately. "I thank you for that, very much so."

"You are most welcome." the onyx haired woman purred, smirking predatorily as her eyes raked over the trio's with a definitive lack of subtlety. They shuffled awkwardly, unsure of what to make of such blatant scrutiny, and Thalia's eyes turned stormy as the other woman's gaze lingered specifically on Riven's assets.

"Ishtar, enough. For heaven's sake, you might as well be drooling for the way you're stripping them with your eyes!" Sif snapped, annoyed by the Mesopotamian goddess of War and Sex's visual molestation of their chosen champion.

"You're no fun, Sif. I've not seen such beauty and strength in a woman's aura in centuries." Ishtar pouted at the Nordic diety, though her eyes never left Riven, who met her gaze measure for measure, shoulders squaring subconsciously. Ishtar licked her lips, eyes bright, as she spoke again, almost at a whisper. "It is...intoxicating..."

"Be intoxicated elsewhere, I am not a toy to be played with and disposed of on a whim, Ishtar." Riven said firmly, voice showing none of the apprehension she felt at challenging a goddess who was not known for her patience and understanding in her native myths. Instead of anger, however, Ishtar seemed only more interested, much to her chagrin.

"Ladies, we asked you to come in order to create a more cohesive plan to stop the evils that assail this world. " Amaterasu interjected firmly, putting an end to the staring contest and receiving the attention of the entire room, though there was noticeable reluctance on Ishtar's part. "Now, while it is indeed possible for us to manipulate time-we are deities, after all-it requires enormous power and focus on our part, and MUST NOT be disrupted. For every three months that pass outside, a year will pass on this island."

"We have eighteen months until Thalia and I turn 16, on the outside. It would be best to spend fifteen of them-five years, to us- training and preparing for the battle." Riven mused, thinking carefully and hard. "Will the time spent here affect anything adversely?"

"The Great Prophecy applies to the "real" world. It won't be affected by what occurs here on this island." Amaterasu assured them, much to their relief. "However, it will affect you all the same."

"I don't understand." Bianca said with a faint frown, and Amaterasu smiled at her.

"Simply put, by the time you leave this island again, you will each have aged five years physically and mentally. You will be fully grown twenty-one year old women, with everything that comes with that." she explained, and the three girls exchanged surprised glances.

"Well, at least people won't recognize us as easily. That is a rather significant advantage..." Bianca mused, thinking about said advantages carefully. "Not the least of which would be that we would have to hide far less than we would otherwise."

"Indeed, it will also put you at a higher level physically and mentally than the majority of the Olympian and Traitor demigods." Sif pointed out, clasping her hands behind her back. "Your reach will be longer, your endurance greater, and your ability to think things through and stay calm under pressure will be enhanced as well. This will give you a significant advantage."

"You'll also be even more gorgeous than you already are." Ishtar interjected more than a little lustfully, and Riven grimaced slightly at her. Damned if she wasn't persistent, and apparently possessing a one track mind. Not that the goddess was ugly, obviously, but neither Riven nor her previous, male, self had ever been the subject of such blatant sexual interest and innuendo. It was, while on some leverl highly flattering to have a goddess of sex lusting after you, it was also highly disconcerting for the twice-virgin god-born.

"Yes, you want to get in their pants. We get that, thank you." Sekhmet sighed, rolling her eyes heavenward, as if praying for patience. Which lead the trio to an odd thought: what did the pantheon's pray to? Did they pray to anything, or was it simply a gesture they had picked up during their times amongst mortals? They were drawn back as the Mistress of Dread continued. "Not that I don't agree on some level, and I know for a face that Bast will be deeply enamored with you three, especially young Riven."

"Bast? I would have thought a so-called "minor" goddess like her would have faded by now?" Riven asked, her tone making it clear that she meant no offense, and Sekhmet had smiled at her, opening her mouth to respond, when Riven stiffened and summoned Riptide with a practiced flick, raising it in the air just in time to intercept a pair of long ,wicked looking knives. Their wielder was a tall, dark skinned woman with coal-black hair and gleaming, warm, golden eyes that had cat-like slit pupils who had, apparently, appeared out of nowhere. Her body was slim, and clearly athletic, while her face bore a smirk of amusement and challenge.

"Oh~?" the woman purred, smirk broadening as she stared into Riven's eyes intently. "How very fascinating, for an-untrained mortal to be able to sense my attack _and_ to block it, even if only barely. How very... _intriguing_."

Riven growled back in response, putting the full force of her body to heaving the woman away, before pointing Riptide at her whilst breathing fairly heavily. The woman gracefully flipped backwards in the air, landing with cat-like grace and nary a single sound.

"Who the hell are you?" she snarled angrily, but the other woman ignored her in favor of pacing about slightly, scrutinizing her carefully. "Answer me, or I'll show you how "untrained" I really am!"

"You were right, sister, I find myself fairly enamored with her." the woman commented almost absently, and Riven could see how her muscles rippled beneath her admittedly incredible figure. "I do so look forward to my permanent return before The Training begins..."

"Bast, was leaping out of nowhere and attacking her really the best first impression you could make?" Sekhmet sighed, with the voice of one who was fondly exasperated, but not suprised, with another's actions.

"But my dear sister, she called _me_ a minor goddess!" the Egyptian goddess of Sex, Cats, Dancing, Joy, and Protection cried in faux sorrow, pouting outrageously at her fellow feline-based goddess and Eye of Ra. "ME! The sexiest and quietest goddess under the sun, the nemesis of the Great Serpent himself!"

"While you're by no means ugly, you're most certainly not quiet." Riven grimaced slightly, somewhat disturbed by how upbeat and loud the deity was...only to flail backwards somewhat as Bast appeared directly in front of her, faces barely two inches apart, with neither a sound nor an indication of movement.

"Yet you barely anticipated, never mind defended yourself from, my attack. You will need serious preparations before you do battle with the foes that are lying in wait." Bast's voice was deadly even and calm, her expression as serious as Chiron had ever born. The effect was immediately ruined as one hand flashed out to grab the back of Riven's head tightly and pull her in for a deep kiss. The shocked Greekling's mouth opened by instinct in shocked protest, only for Bast's tongue to snake into her mouth with strength and dexterity that shocked Riven further. Despite herself, Riven couldn't help but note that Bast was a _very_ good kisser, and had a subtle spicy hint to her mouth that was oddly endearing. She had barely made these observations when a flushed Bast pulled away, fingers of one hand stroking the girl's face, eyes half-lidded with desire and attraction. "Oh my, you are so very enthralling. I so look forward to seeing you again..."

A moment later, she was gone, performing a series of back handsprings to avoid a cluster of lightning blasts that a crimson-with lust or rage, no one could tell. Probably both- Thalia was launching at her with both hands.

"I'll be back soon, my love! Just have to make a quick pick-up Cairo!" with a jaunty wave and a lustful look, the cat goddess vanished in a spiraling plume of fire, leaving a face-palmed and groaning Sekhmet, shell-shocked Biana and assorted deities, paralyzed and confused Riven and, amusingly enough, fuming Thalia and Ishtar.

_ How dare she do that! I saw her first! SHE IS  _ MINE _!_ Ishtar roared in her mind, beautiful face twisted into a dark scowl of jealousy that had her two companions shaking their heads in exasperation.

"How...how dare that...that _slut_ do that right in front of me?!" Thalia raged, her anger at the goddess allowing her to totally miss her hardened nipples and slightly dampened crotch that had been born from the _very_ hot kiss scene that had just played out before her eyes. She absolutely didn't find the idea of _her_ girl with other women hot! Not a chance!

Thalia Grace, ladies and gentlemen, discovering that de-Nile is _not_ just a river in Egypt. ( **A/N: little known fact, but only like 1/5th of it is. Just saying...)**

"I am deeply sorry about that. Your saying her name must have intrigued Bast enough to call her here. She must have sensed something about you that made her want to come now instead of waiting until we raise the field." Sekhmet said finally, shame for her sister's blatant disregard for personal space obvious. Her eyes grew cold then, and the air trembled with power and an aura of Dread as she looked at a suddenly sweating Thalia. "However, my sister is not a slut. Despite what your own experiences with Aphrodite and her offspring might lead you to believe, Bast is nothing like them. She is, in fact, a virgin, despite being a goddess of Sex. As am I, for that matter."

"But, with all due respect, how do you have a virgin deity of sex?" Bianca commented in confusion, brow furrowed, and Sekhmet sighed gustily, turning her frown onto Bianca, who quailed slightly.

"We do not chose what titles humans attribute to us. The Greeks assumed my sister and Artemis to simply be different forms of the same being, but that clearly isn't true. Between the two of us, it is I who wields a bow, not her." Sekhmet pointed out evenly, her anger on behalf of her sister clearly cooling somewhat from their genuine confusion. "And Bast spent the last 4,000 years trapped in a prison dimension, battling Apophis. Only days ago was she able to escape. As for I, and indeed she before her imprisonment, well," here Sekhmet's mouth twisted into a sardonic parody of a smile. "Traveling the world being the Huntresses and Eyes of Lord Ra didn't allow much time to find good men or women to spend "personal time" with."

"So what is she picking up in Cairo?" Riven asked, finally having reengaged her brain enough to speak.

"Not what, but whom..." Sekhmet replied mysteriously.

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As she flitted from Duat portal to Duat portal, rapidly making her way back to Cairo, Bast couldn't tamp down the flush of arousal that had swept over her when she had laid her eyes on the Exile for the first time. Oh yes, she knew the former male's nickname for herself, the self-assigned title that was more than a little depressing, but unfortunately quite apt. Her sister had made sure to fill her in on everything that had happened whilst she had been helping the Kane siblings the last few weeks, from Riven's transformation into a girl, to her subsequent recruitment by the Pantheonic Alliance. She had been intrigued even then, curious as to what this young Halfling had that so many others didn't, and had researched her fairly extensively during her scouting missions. She had liked, even been impressed, by everything she had heard, but she knew that no matter how great a person's deeds were, it mattered little is the person herself was a...less than decent individual. Riven, however, had proved thus far to be a damn decent person, willing to protect the world despite the sorrows she had and was experiencing. She only hoped that the black-haired lightning-child wouldn't mind sharing...

Slipping out of the final portal, she appeared behind a trio of young woman she recognized very well. Two with fairly dark skin, the third with rather paler, they were the Callista Kane, Zia Rashid, and Sadie Kane. The three most powerful Egyptian "demigods" due to their nature as Avatar's of members of the Egyptian pantheon. All three were sitting in the same dark alley she had left them in, watching its entrance carefully for any sign of their pursuers, the more...volatile members of the House of Life. The biggest surprise had been when Zia had not only helped them escape the First Nome, but joined them. She hadn't expected a loyal magician to do that for godlings. Perhaps there was more to it...

"Hello girls~!" she said, watching with amusement as all three jumped and spun around, hands pointing various magical and physical weapons at her. "Oh my, such quick reactions~! You're learning~!"  
"You're finally back!" Callista said, sounding relieved, not that Bast could blame her. When you were being hunted down by the world's most powerful human magicians who had decades of experience on you and wanted your head on a platter, wanting a goddess around to watch your back was preferable.

"About damn time, I was worried those House bastards would find us first." Sadie grumped with a scowl, though her eyes showed she was glad to see the cat-goddess. "Can we get out of here, quickly, if you please?"

"Yes, but there's been a change of plans. The Champion has stepped forward, we're heading back to the Isles of the Stars immediately to begin to prepare." Bast said, getting confused looks from the Kane siblings and a gasp with wide eyes from Zia.

"Is it true? The Champion has appeared at last?" the mage asked, excitement shinning in her eyes, and Bast smiled at her before turning to the confused Kanes.

"The Champion is the subject of an ancient prophecy for nearly every pantheon that has existed, stating that a forsaken warrior of a ruling pantheon will come forward and become the immovable shield that will protect the Earth from the ancient evils, such as The Great Serpent of the Titan King, Kronos." she explained, and the pair nodded before gaining the glassy eyes she had come to learn meant that they were talking with Horus and Isis.

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_ Callista and Horus _

_ "Any particular reason you pulled me in here right this second, Horus? Kind of on the run from every Egyptian mage on the planet." the young woman huffed as she appeared in the throne room that served as Horus' location in her mindscape. _

_ "Simply to give you more information, child." Horus respond evenly from his throne. While Callista was finally starting to shape up into a semi-competent Combat Mage and Host for him, the ignobility of being hosted by someone of the opposite gender as himself was...grating. Not to mention very strange, such a thing had never happened before. At least his sister/mother was in someone of the same gender as herself. _

_ "What is there to know? Isn't this Champion some all-powerful hero? What more is there to know?" the onyx-haired girl responded, and Horus nodded his head. _

_ "It is true, she will have power beyond any but the most powerful of gods. Even minor to mid-level deities will eventually tremble before her power and those of her followers." Horus explained, getting a shocked look from his host. Clearly, she hadn't believed such a thing was possible. "Furthermore, you should know that the Egyptian pantheon is not the only one still in existence. The Nordic, Japanese, Roman, and Greek pantheons are still very much present, with Greek currently being the dominant, with their Roman personas being slightly weaker. The Champion is a perfect blend of Greek and Roman, though she doesn't know it yet, believing herself to be pure Greek." _

_ "I would never have thought that the other pantheons were still around, but now that you say it, it does make sense that yours wouldn't be the only one." Callista mused to herself, before shrugging slightly and eyeing him curiously. "That can't be all, though. Telling me about these other pantheons is good information sure, but not relevant at the moment. _

_ "You're gettign better at figuring me out, Callista." Horus said with a hint of respect, using her name for the first time, giving her something of a shock. "Your companion, Zia Rashid. She isn't human. She is a golem construct. The real Zia is elsewhere. You must find her before you go to the Isle. There is not much time. Go." _

_ With that, the god ejected Callista from her mind. _

_ ############################################ _

_ Sadie and Isis  _

_ "Welcome back, Sadie, it's good to see you." Isis said warmly from her place sitting on a set of stone steps, her feet dangling into the cool waters of the Nile. While her brother/son represented his section of mindscape as his throne room, hers was her riverside library, filled with books of history and spell work, and the place she felt most at home all those millennia ago. "Come, sit, join me." _

_ The blond-haired mage joined her, dangling her own bare feet into the river, looking at Isis curiously. _

_ "This isn't about taking my body over, is it? Cause you know that isn't gonna happen." the mortal said bluntly, and Isis laughed softly at her, shaking her head. _

_ "No, not this time. It's time for me to fill you in on some things, now that so much has changed, what with the Champion coming forth." she answered, and Sadie rolled her eyes. _

_ "I don't see what's so great about some prophesized guy from who-knows-where." she grunted in annoyance, folding her arms. _

_ "That "guy" is a girl, and one day soon will have the power to best gods in battle." Isis told her bluntly, getting an expression of utter shock from her host. "Furthermore, the Egyptian pantheon is not the only one that roams the Earth. Multitudes, some with more faded than others, are still here. The most prominent being the Greek and Roman, whilst the Nordic and Japanese are next. The Champions mother saw her lover in both his Greek and Roman personas, though she doesn't know it yet, and is gaining the favor of the other pantheons. She will lead the forces of this Earth to defend it from the ancient evils that are stirring." _

_ "Okay, great, all well and good. Still want to see it before I believe it." the blond scowled again, trying not to feel any awe or fear in regards to this mysterious Champion. _

_ "You will." Isis said simply, looking out over the river. "Oh, something else you ought to know. Horus and I weren't going to tell the two of you, but the Zia Rashid you're traveling with is just a  _ shabti _, you need to find the real one and bring her to the Isle of the Stars before time runs out. Best get moving."_

_ Sadie opened her mouth to ask a question, but the library faded around her as she vanished from her own mind. _

_ ####################################### _

Bast started when both Sadie and Callista abruptly returned to the world around them, a few minutes after their "guests" had pulled them into their minds. Both exchanged looks with one another before turning to stare at Zia, who blushed faintly and shuffled uncomfortably at the intense and unexpected scrutiny.

"What?" she snapped finally, and Sadie abruptly smirked a little evilly while Callista looked resigned.

"Well, I guess little miss perfect isn't so perfect after all, dear sister." Sadie cackled, making Callista blush and turn her head away slightly. Turning slightly so she could address Bast and Zia together, she continued. "Our dear friend Zia here is a _shabti_. Isis says we have to find the real her and bring her with us to the Isle."

Zia blinked owlishly as all three of her companions stared at her again. She was a _shabti_? And she didn't even know it? Where was she then? The real her? And was she, the _shabti_ , not really Zia Rashid? Was she just a pale imitation, or did she think and feel for herself? What purpose did she have in the world?

"Well then, we'd best figure out a spell to trace the _shabti_ connection to the real one then." Bast said finally, totally unaware of the crisis of existence that said _shabti_ was currently enduring. The Kanes nodded absently, both consulting their "guests" for anything that would help as they followed Bast out of the alley, tugging a vacant-eyed Zia after them.

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Not gonna lie, totally didn't plan to bring the Kane Chronicle stuff in this soon, and definitly wasn't intending to fiddle with canon Kane Chronicle stuff as much as I have/am/will be, but the scene with Bast and Riven popped into my head and I rolled with it. anyway, you know the drill. Review, favorite, follow, etc.

 


	5. Interlude One: The Kanes (And Zia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which Shabti-Zia Has A Crisis Of Existence, And The Kanes Meet The Pantheons

So I struggled for how to deal with moving forward, and I elected to do numerous Interludes leading up to the next full chapter. Review Replies will be covered in the “real” chapter.

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Interlude One

The Kanes (And Zia)

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_Three Days After the Events of Chapter Four_

Amos/Set chuckled with wry laughter as the two were separated, banishing the Egyptian god of Chaos back into the Duat, leaving his unconscious former host to collapse to the ground in a boneless heap. Sadie and Callista hastened to their Uncle's side while Bast and _shabti_ -Zia looked on in concern. While the man had been the host of a powerful enemy and had tried to kill them upon their arrival to the Nile Delta, he had been unwitting in his hosting of Set's spirit, a prisoner within his own mind. And the defeat of Set had garnered them his oath to help defeat Apophis when the time came.

                "He'll be fine, but we have to hurry." Sadie declared a few minutes later as the siblings got to their feet and rejoined the goddess and _shabti_. Looking at Bast, she continued. "We have to reach the Isle of the Stars today, right?"

                "Yes, once we find the temple the real Zia is hidden in, we can transfer all the memories the _shabti_ has gained over to her and then I can take us back to the Isle using the portals through Duat." The cat deity responded cheerfully, ignoring the discontented shuffling of the _shabti_ as they so casually discussed her impending erasure.

                " ** _Clarity. Safe Passage. Eyes to See."_** Sadie chanted, holding her wand aloft, eyes closed in concentration, face uplifted. Her magic swirled around her, a circle of runes appearing with each phrase, which spun as they moved towards one another, finally unifying as she opened her eyes and gave her last command. **_"Zia Rashid!"_**

The circle flashed before widening until it was the size of your average television screen. Mist filled the center of the ring before slowly dispersing, showing Zia's unconscious body lying on a small bed beside a river of water that could only be the Nile. She was underground, this much was obvious, and in a temple filled with statues and engraving, most involving the Nile or crops in some way. Sadie finally released the spell, panting a little with exertion, and shook her head slightly, looking and sounding winded.

                "I really need to practice that spell and see if I can improve it more." She groaned, bending over and bracing her hands on her knees as she got her breath back.

                "Still, your own scrying spell. Fairly impressive for an essentially untrained child, godling or not." Bast commented absently, seemingly deep in thought, before her expression brightened. "Ah! The real Zia is in a lost temple to Nephthys, underground. I can port us directly there, hold on."

A flash of light later, the three children found themselves looking around with interest.  Bast's words had been proven correct. They were indeed underground, as there was no natural light to be found in the complex, but mounted on the supporting pillars and at intervals on the wall were crystals that, though small, cast a significant amount of light throughout the room by way of enchantments.

                There she is!" Callista said suddenly, pointing towards the center of the temple, where a portion of the Nile flowed through a bejeweled, polished stone trough several feet wide. Easily discernible was the form of the true Zia Rashid, lying as though asleep on a cot that sat in the center of a complex runic array. The group trudged over, and the inner turmoil of _shabti_ -Zia grew the closer they got. Was this it? The end of her meager, apparently false, existence?

                _I don’t want to die._ The thought crossed her mind, and she almost stumbled in shock, as she considered it. According to her companions, she wasn’t actually human, wasn’t really alive, because she wasn’t the real Zia. The real Zia was across the room, sleeping like a child. She wanted to be real though, but how could you become real if you were just a copy, a clone of someone else?

                _By getting rid of the original, you become them, you become real_. A dark voice hissed in her mind, and she nodded slightly in agreement. It made sense, after all. If the other Zia died, she would be the only one, which would make her the real Zia! Decision made, she began to consider her options as they skirted some rubble.

As they drew closer, her hand crept to ‘her’ wand and she subtly began to draw it, watching her ‘friends’, and waiting for their attention to be elsewhere before drawing it, pointing it at the sleeping Zia, and shouting her spell.

                “Ha’di!” The wave of magic streamed towards her target, but Sadie reacted faster than she would have thought possible, no doubt thanks to Isis’ presence, and wordlessly summoned a magical barrier to block the explosive spell. The _shabti_ hissed angrily and turned to face the godling with hate in her eyes.

                “How dare you stop me, godling!” she screamed, appearing quite unbalanced, and Callista stared at her in shock as Sadie glared coldly, eyes narrowed.

                “What the hell are you doing?!” Callista shouted, drawing her kopesh as her own battle magic began to react to the situation.

                “I will be the real Zia! No one can stop me, least of all you!” the _shabti_ retorted, facing the pair head on. “ _A’max!_ ” she cried, sending a wave of fire billowing towards her target, intending to burn her where she stood. How dare the girl try and stop her! She would become real, if she had to burn the world to the ground!

                “ _Maw!_ ” Sadie cried, reacting swiftly, sending a wave of water back at her. Fire and water collided, instantly canceling each other out and vanishing in a massive billow of steam that quickly filled the room like a fog.

                “ _Ha’tep!”_ Callista commanded, her voice that of the Pharaoh, and the _shabti_ immediately stilled, eyes somewhat glassy, and Callista turned to her sister. “I don’t know how long that is going to hold, Sadie, so do whatever you need to do fast.”

Sadie nodded in return, mind turned inward as she consulted with Isis on the best way to return the _shabti’s_ memories to the real Zia, and awaken her. Bast, meanwhile, perched languidly on top of a fallen column, watching the goings-on with interest. The _shabti_ making a grab at existence had been unexpected, but she was pleased with how the pair had handled it. Her thoughts turned towards the silver-haired warrior who was even now waiting on the Isle of the Stars. She wondered how Riven would handle the coming trials, and how she would earn the loyalty of those who doubted herself and her cause.

She was also rather amused that the demigoddess insisted stringently that she would never believe in Fate, or Destiny, and would forge her own path, but in doing so was following the precise path she was so vocally refusing to follow. The oft-mentioned and oft-clichéd self-fulfilling prophecy. She shook her head and chuckled lightly, before jumping off the rubble and padding over towards the two Kane siblings, and the stirring Zia Rashid. It seemed that the pair had figured out what they had to do to bring the real Zia back to the waking world. That was good, she was eager to get back to the Isle and get things started. Purely for the good of the world, of course.

                “Unh…that…is a very unpleasant sensation.” Zia moaned, sitting up and holding her head and shaking it lightly as the memories of who-knows-how-long flooded into her mind from the lifeless _shabti_. Looking around, she smiled at the concerned faces of the Kane siblings. “Fear not, my friends, I am fine. Gaining several months’ worth of memories that I did not actually experience at the same time is…a rather strange thing.” She turned to look at Bast, inclining her head a little in wary respect. “Lady Bast, I… **It is good to see you again, Bast.”**

The trio eyed the girl carefully, wondering about her sudden change in voice, before the sex deity’s eyes widened as she finally recognized the voice.

                “Nephthys? What are you doing in Zia?” she asked, shocked, and the two Carter siblings stiffened, weapons coming up at the knowledge that they were speaking with the sister/wife of the god they had just banished back into the Duat, something Zia/Nephthys noticed.

                **“No need for those, children, I have no intention of vengeance for my husband's defeat and subsequent collaring by the pair of you. For all that I love him, he is often foolish and egotistical. Perhaps being so forcefully banished from the physical realm will cause him to clean up his act, as may his oath to you. Besides, with the Great Serpent attempting to return, this is not the time for internal, petty sibling squabbles. Now, it is time for me to return home, and for you and Zia to make haste to the Isle. The Champion will need you in the coming days.”**

Zia swayed on her feet, visibly confused and off-balance both mentally and physically as the ethereal form of Nephthys separated from her and gave a small wave before diving into the Nile with a happy-sounding sigh. So distracted were the humans with watching the deity return to her river that they did not notice how Zia’s eyes shone bright gold for a moment, a sun-mark appearing on her brow before fading away an instant later. Bast did, however, and her eyes narrowed slightly as she considered what that meant. She knew _he_ wasn’t present in the girl, not truly, but his power was, and she pondered how and why this was, and what it could mean for the future, while she waited for the children to finish gathering Zia’s things.

                “You kids ready to go?” she asked as they finally stood before her, and all three nodded with varying degrees of excitement. While Zia still seemed a little leery of being around gods and godlings she had always been taught needed to be killed immediately, the memories of her _shabti_ were slowly processing and showing her how much she had come to enjoy their companionship of late. Regardless of her uncertainty, she was looking forward to seeing what kind of woman “The Champion” was. “Alright, hold on tight.”

All three teens grabbed on to each other and her as she opened a portal into the Duat and pulled them inside, reappearing a few moments later in front of the Divine Pagoda. The three godlings looked around curiously, interested in the blended architectures and demigods that wandered the Isle together. While Zia, as Iskander’s protégé, had been briefed on the existence of other pantheons, she had not realized that there were so many still active, or that they all had quite so many children. The Kane siblings, of course, were less surprised thanks to their own ‘guests’, but still rather awed by everything that they saw around them, having only been a part of this world a few short weeks.

The trio followed Bast inside of the large, elegant looking building, and Callista almost immediately hastened over to the nearest wall, keenly observing the pictographs and murals that adorned it, her archaeological side coming out full strength in spite of herself.  Soft muttering soon followed as she worked out the stories or teachings that each told, and soft laughter caught the attention of Zia and Sadie, bringing their gazes towards a large table on the other side of the pagoda, around which were seated a small group of female deities, only two of which they were able to identify. One was Bast, and the other could only be Sekhmet, the Mistress of Dread, as evidenced by the lioness’ pelt she wore like a cloak, it’s now-hollow head acting like a hat.

                “Zia Rashid, Sadie Kane, Callista Kane,” Bast started to introduce the three newcomers, only to trail of in amusement as the room observed Callista, so engrossed in her observations that she had missed her name being called, continue muttering to herself. “Callista…?” Her second, somewhat louder attempt failed, and finally she barked at the younger woman. “Callista!”

The young woman yelped and spun around, gaze questioning, and blushed heavily when Bast posted one fist on her hip and crooked a finger at her with the other. Hastening over, the embarrassed teen took her place beside her sister and Zia.

                “As I was saying, I would like to introduce the three of you to some of the deities associated with the Pantheonic Alliance, as we are currently calling ourselves. Sekhmet, Amateratsu, Sif, Tsukyomi, and Ishtar.” Bast introduced the group of goddesses, before looking at them and gesturing at the three girls. “Zia Rashid, Callista Kane, and Sadie Kane. Godlings all, and powerful mages in their own right. They will be forces to be reckoned with after training.”

                “It is a pleasure to meet all three of you, we were concerned that Bast would not return with you in time for you to participate in the training.” Amateratsu said with a warm smile, and all three dipped their heads awkwardly in acknowledgement.

                “Now, where did my dear Riven go? “ Bast inquired, looking about eagerly as thought the other goddesses were hiding her under the table, and ignoring Ishtar’s angry growl at her claim on the young woman.

                “The Exile has returned alone to New York for reasons she did not see fit to share with either us, nor with her two companions.” Sif responded bluntly, and Bast gaped at her in disbelief while Sekhmet shook her head wryly.

                “Sif, perhaps a more diplomatic approach,” she started to say reproachfully, when Bast vanished into the Duat with various exclamations of disbelief and chastisement towards the distant Exile, as well as promises of “correction to stupid behaviors” once she “got her hands” on the girl. Sekhmet sighed and continued. “Would have helped us avoid having her do that. I just hope they don’t run into trouble…”

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First Interlude Over!


	6. Interlude Two: Riven (and Bast)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which Riven Is A Badass, Luke Is A Perverted Traitor Of A Bastard, and Bast Is Just Plain Perverted

**Here is the second interlude, which takes place more or less directly after the last one.**

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Interlude Two

Riven (and Bast)

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Riven huffed in exertion as she swiftly cut down another monster, this one an empousa that reminded her of Ishtar with the hungry way it looked at her, but from a beast that lacked the beauty and power of the Mesopotamian goddess it was disturbing rather than flattering.

                “You know, when I heard that you’d been turned into a girl by that bitch, Artemis, I didn’t picture you like this. Not gonna lie, watching you butcher my subordinates is kinda hot.” Luke commented from where he casually leaned against a tree, safely behind the swarm of monsters that were eagerly pressing forward in an attempt to kill her, along with what she guessed were bodyguards, another pair of male demigods.

The group of traitors and monsters had been waiting for her to try and return home, evidently unaware that she had already done so and been the one to find her family. While the gods had used their power to make all of the…evidence go away, and the mortals to forget that anyone had lived there, they had no doubt that the runaway demigod would try to get in touch with her mother and sort-of father-in-law at some point. So, when Riven had returned to say good-bye and seek some closure, they had ambushed her and demanded she join them. She refused, obviously, and had been slaughtering monsters ever since. But, she was beginning to grow tired from the constant onslaught.

                “Shove it up your ass, Luke.” She hissed furiously, grabbing a telekhine that tried to tackle her by the head and ramming Riptide through its throat. “What Annabeth and Thalia ever saw in you, I’ve no idea.” She smirked suddenly, feeling rather mean-spirited. “Of course, that might be because you have the wrong equipment.”

                “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he growled, eyes narrowing. He had intended (with the support of Kronos) to take the more attractive female demigods of the Greek and Roman camps as his own. After all, as the future King of the world (Kronos would be in charge from Orthys, sure, but would probably be too busy with torturing the gods to bother with the mortal world) he deserved the best and brightest of women as his bedmates.

                “It means, boyo, that Thalia is _mine_ now. And let me tell you, she looks absolutely incredible under that punk clothing of hers.” She responded with a smirk, knowing that while she meant with underwear still on (not that underwear subtracted from her girlfriend’s appeal, in fact it added to it in some ways) Luke would immediately assume they had had sex.

                “You little _bitch_!” Luke hissed, outraged, as he drew his sword and began shoving his way through the monsters towards her, but a flash and a voice stopped him as a warm arm wrapped around Riven and pulled her against a firm pair of breasts.

                “Love, you really shouldn’t tease boys like that, they tend to get stupider.” Bast chided her softly, though in amusement, before pulling her into a warm, tongue tangling kiss just like the first one they had had only a few days ago, leaving the monsters and traitorous demigods gaping at them blankly. Riven, despite her inherent loyalty and affection for Thalia, found herself moaning slightly in pleasure and weaving her fingers through Bast’s hair, taking control of the kiss with a dominating fervor that left Bast breathless and giddy after they broke apart. “Now, we need to get back to your army, My Exile. We can deal with these later.”

‘These’ being the group of enemies that still surrounded them. Riven hummed in agreement, before looking at Luke with much larger smirk than before. While the kiss had been more or less unexpected, she did take pleasure from the utterly confused, enraged, and even aroused expression he bore.

                “Try to stay alive Luke, I have a score to settle with you and your buddies. A settlement in _blood_.” She promised, baring her teeth in a chilling grin, before the pair vanished into the Duat, though to the Grecian traitors it appeared as though they had simply disappeared from in front of them.

The group of Kronos Loyalists were silent for a long moment before one of the telekhines commented aloud, almost absently.

                “Lord Kronos will not be pleased that you let her escape so easily, or that has an army.” It said, before vanishing in a cloud of golden dust as a furious Luke stabbed him with his sword before glaring around at anyone else.

                “Anyone else got smart-ass comments to make?!” he snarled, to be met with a barrage of head-shakes or muttered denials. Grunting softly to himself, he turned and stormed away towards the coast, where _The Princess Andromeda_ was waiting for their return. Hesitantly, his minions followed at a distance, trying not to get to close, but not _look_ like they were trying to avoid getting closer.  
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Unbeknownst to anyone, a young woman with scarlet hair and green eyes was standing on the balcony of her penthouse suite, an unhappy frown on her face as she contemplated the cute raven-haired boy she had met at the Hoover Dam not that long ago. Something about him had her thinking about him constantly. That something wasn’t the fact that he had tried to hit her with a sword (which had gone right through her) or the fact that he had been fighting skeletons of all things, nor was it the baffling fact that she could no longer recall his name. It wasn’t even the fact that every time she used her photographic memory to try and picture him, the image wavered between the green-eyed black-haired boy from the Dam, and a gorgeous young woman with snow-white hair and crimson eyes, wearing heavy armor with a massive sword. It was baffling, to be sure, but what really drew her too him was the sensation she had had when near him. One of utter safety and overwhelming… _power_. It was like the air itself shivered around him, though she got the impression he had no control over it whatsoever.

She had always had these ‘feelings’, sensations or images that should feel out of place, but instead felt inherently _right_ to her. Knowledge of things she shouldn’t know, but somehow did. For instance, right this moment she had the feeling that if she left the penthouse, walked two blocks west and one block north, she would encounter a fellow green-eyed red-head woman that was, for some reason, of drastic importance.

She hummed to herself, admiring the stars for several long moments, before blinking and running back over that last train of thought again. Just to be sure, she went over it two more times before cursing softly under her breath rather colorfully and spinning on her heel. Grabbing her favorite black hoodie from the back of her computer chair and slipping her knife and mace can into her pockets, she dashed to the elevator and rode it to the ground floor. Ignoring the doorman’s attempts to make her go back inside, she dashed off into the New York city night.

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**Second Interlude, done! See you all again tomorrow!**


	7. Interlude Three: Rachel Elizabeth Dare (And Kat)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which Rachel Meets Katarina The Vigilante And Knows Things She Shouldn't

Here is the Third Interlude, again taking place directly after its predecessor.

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Interlude Three

Rachel Elizabeth Dare (And Kat)

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Katarina (no last name) slunk through the darkened trees of the park, eyes never wavering from her target, a young male dressed in jeans and a black hoodie, who was in turn stalking a beautiful brunette girl who was probably in her early twenties, from the looks of her.

She had started tracking the male a few days ago, after noticing a pattern in his movements during her ‘patrols’. He always walked through the same few parks in the general area, always wearing dark and concealing clothes, and always watching young women who walked the parks. While that was certainly nothing significant in and of itself (men and women watched each other all the time in the parks, being noticed was one reason they went), the way that he did so seemed less like a guy checking out girls, and more like a creep checking out marks.

There had been a string of sexual assaults over the last few months, and while none had yet been full-scale rape, each one had been escalating from the previous iteration, which led her to believe that the instigator was working his way up to actual rape.

She wouldn’t allow it. Her hand went to the long scar that crossed her left eye. She couldn’t allow it.

_Flashback!_

_“Stupid bitch! Embarrass me in front of my friends, will you?!” the man assaulting her snarled, kicking her shaking form as she lay on her side, curled up around as she held the bleeding gash that had nearly blinded her left eye, courtesy of the beer bottle the man had hit her with._

_Not half an hour ago, this man had tried to pick her up at the bar she frequented on her darker Friday nights, when sitting alone at her apartment watching Netflix got too lonely and depressing even for her anti-social preferences. He had made the mistake of coming on far too boldly and fairly insultingly, and the result had been her shutting him down hard instead of being polite about it. His friends, who had been watching nearby, had further embarrassed him by very loudly mocking him for his failure, loud enough for the entire bar to hear._

_She had left not long after, and the man had ambushed her as she crossed through a small park in an effort to get home faster. In hindsight, not the best idea, but she honestly never thought that a guy she had turned down would assault her. She had done it dozens of times without incident, why should this time have been any different?_

_Except it was. Another kick had her on her back, and the panties under her short skirt were torn away as his weight pinned her to the ground, his freed hand fumbling with his zipper. Her hands slapped at his chest desperately as she struggled to force him away. He elbowed her in the face and started to fish himself out of his boxers._

_Her hands scrabble desperately across the ground, praying for something-anything- to help her keep her innocence. A soft clink caught her attention, and her hand latched around the neck of the bottle he had hit her with. A high scream echoed through the park as she plunged it into him, and he roared in pain, rolling off of her as his hand flailed at the injury.  Shrieking like an enraged val’kyr, she fell on him with her improvised weapon, plunging it into his flesh over and over again, warm blood splattering her face and clothes. Finally, she collapsed sideways off of his mangled, bloody corpse, the bottle clattering to the ground once more as she sobbed softly._

_A Few minutes later, her head came up again as she glared at the now-cold corpse. Climbing to her feet, she made an oath then and there that no man would ever take advantage of her again, and she would kill anyone who tried._

_Sometime later, she stopped another attempted rape in its tracks, cutting the man’s throat with her nail file and tipping the police. Her oath expanded to protecting all innocents from the depredations of others._

_Flashback Ends_

Her eyes narrowed as hurried movement drew her from her memories, and she watched as the male seemed to make his move, grabbing the woman from behind. Her flailing attempt to dislodge him knocked his hood off, and Katarina’s eyes blzed as she recognized the accused serial rapist Erik Brown, who had gotten off on a technicality despite DNA evidence that he had raped five women in the last year alone. One of her personal targets was at last in her reach.

She palmed a pair of throwing knives and sighted his back, but before she could let fly a hand grabbed her shoulder. She spun, ready to attack, but stopped when she saw a girl that looked remarkably similar to herself standing there, finger to her lips.

                “Hush, just watch and wait.” The other girl said softly, and Katarina glared angrily into her jade eyes as she spat back, though just as softly.

                “If you think I am going to sit her and let her get raped…!” she was cut off as the girl shushed her again and pointed towards the pair. Katarina turned around again just in time to see the “victim” stop playing the damsel in distress and swiftly lay a beat-down on the rapist with some highly impressive, and professional, moves. Moments later, a swarm of cops (both uniformed and otherwise) materialized from the trees and acquired their target with barely professional glee. Eventually they dispersed; all save for the female officer who had played the part of the bait.

Instead of leaving, she made directly for the bushes that Katarina and the girl were hidden in, and the girl cursed softly and flipped her hood up, shrouding her face from view as she stepped further back into the shadows. It proved unneeded, however, when the officer stopped just in front of the bushes and spoke softly.

                “I know you’re here. I spotted you watching him a few days ago while I was doing the same. I know who you are, or at least what they call you, ‘Sinister Blade’, and I wanted to thank you, off the record, for doing what you’re doing. You’ve saved young women from suffering a horrific fate, and while I wish you would do it from this side of the law, you’re doing it regardless. The only reason I could perform this mission was the knowledge that if anything went wrong, you were watching from the shadows.”

                “…what is your name, Officer?” she asked, just as softly, and the woman blinked, apparently not expecting of an actual reply, before smiling slightly and responding.

                “Caitlyn.” Katarina hummed aloud, acknowledging  the answer she honestly didn’t think she would receive, before giving the woman her own name.

                “Katarina Du Coteau.”

Now the Officer was truly surprised. She had hoped for a first name, or something other than the media’s title to call the woman, but a full name was ludicrous for a vigilante to hand out to a cop. Even if the cop seemed to be willing to let her go.

                “Thank you again, Katarina, for doing what you can to protect innocents. Just…try to avoid being noticed next time. We have orders about you, and as much as I appreciate what you do, I took an oath. Understand?” she said, sounding rather regretful, and a soft laugh answered her.

                “Don’t worry about me, Officer. I know how not to be seen. Stay safe.”

With that, there was no more sound but that of the wind rustling through the park, and Caitlyn smiled as she pulled out her phone and called her girlfriend, the ex-criminal Victoria (or, as she preferred, Vi) for a pick-up. She would enjoy regaling her pink-haired brawler with this particular tale…although, she would probably be lectured for the risk she had taken. She weighed the pros and cons of telling the other woman in her mind, and elected that telling her would be best. Not only was honesty the best thing in a relationship, but Vi might… _chastise_ her for her part in the mission.

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                “How did you know that they were there?” Katarina asked her fellow red-head, who had once more removed her hood, and the other girl shrugged slightly in response. After leaving Officer Caitlyn behind, the pair had, in silent unison, decided to stick together for the moment, and headed towards the nearest exit to the park.

                “I dunno. I’ve always just… _known_ things. It’s a talent of mine, I suppose.” The girl said, before blinking and blushing slightly. “Ah, please forgive my rudeness. I forgot to introduce myself. Rachel Elizabeth Dare, at your service.”

                “Pleasure to meet you, I suppose.” Katarina responded, feeling a little uncomfortable. Being polite and diplomatic wasn’t her strong suit, hadn’t been since The Incident. The pair rounded a bend  and came to a T-intersection in the pathway. A few feet in front of them was a small pedestrian bridge, while to their right lead deeper into another section of the park. Both girls stiffened as a group of men, gang members from the looks of them, stepped out from under the archway, fel intent clear in their eyes and their bearing.

                “Well, lookie here boys.” The apparent leader sneered, slouching towards them with his baggy pants as he twirled a knife in his right hand. “Twin birds tryin’ ta fly away. We should catch ‘em and cage ‘em.”

                “I’d love to see you try.” Katarian hissed, drawing two of her longer knives in response, and Rachel looked around, noticing a few more men filtering out of the trees, surrounding them. As they drew closer, only one thought crossed her mind, a desperate plee she knew would be heard.

                _‘ **RIVEN!**_ **’**

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So end the Third Interlude. The Fourth will be the last one before the next real chapter, just so you know!


	8. Interlude Four: The First Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Which Katarina Becomes The First Priestess of The Exile, Riven Kills People, And Caitlyn and Vi Get Rudely Awakened

**Here is the fourth and (as of right now) finally interlude. There will probably be more soon enough, however.**

**I doubt I will portray it properly, but this chapter involves Katarina gaining a fanatical devotion to Riven. And I do mean fanatical. If I fail to make her ‘logic’ clear, please leave a review or shoot me a PM with your questions, so I can try to make it clearer!**

**Insert Valid Author Name: First, great name ahaha. Second, no I play on NA servers, summoner name is the same as my penname.**

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Interlude Four

The First Shadow

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                **_‘RIVEN!’_**

The psychic scream sent Riven reeling physically and mentally, and she dropped to one knee, shaking her head as it reverberated through her being, breathing heavily as her wide eyes moved back and forth erratically. Concerned, Bast dropped to her knees beside the young woman she found so fascinating. However, she flinched back almost instinctually as the girl’s head came back up, irises now a burning crimson. With nary a word, The Exile vanished in a pillar of flame that actually forced Bast to shield herself with hands and magic, and left a large black crater on the ground where she had been kneeling. Groaning to herself, Bast got to her feet, shaking her head in bemused irritation as she began to use her millennia-honed tracking skills to follow the energy signature of the girl’s departure. Low and behold, she was back in New York City again.

                “That girl really has a problem. Always randomly disappearing and charging off without explanation.” She mumbled to herself a little good-naturedly as she dove into the Duat, following the trail. Still, she thought to herself, eyes narrowing. Her eyes had changed color and been…far more than human, in that instant. Even that aside, flame travel was not exactly a common mode of transport for a child of the sea. _Oh, she is so getting tied to a chair when we get back. She has a lot of explaining to do!_ The goddess grumbled mentally, trying hard to resist the perverted thoughts that came to her. She pouted as she failed, not wanting to start acting like Ishtar and scare the girl off. While some might think her infatuation after so short a period was nothing short of bizarre or insane, she had been alive for a long time. She knew that there was… _something_ there, a _something_ about the young demigod that had immediately entranced her, as cliché as that sounded. She snorted in amusement, knowing if she ever said such things out loud she would never hear the end of it.

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The group of males (one refuses to call them _men,_ for it would demean all true men) were in the midst of a fairly heated argument over who would get to rape the now barely-lucid knife wielding psycho-bitch first, and who would have the tamer girl, when they were interrupted by a burst of heat and light from amongst them. Another girl, inhumanly beautiful with bronzed skin and silvery-white hair appeared kneeling beside the two downed young women. Though caught off guard and somewhat disturbed by this strange turn of events, the fairly inebriated (on drink and drug) group of males decided en masse that this simply provided a new, exotic outlet.

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                “Riven, you came.” Rachel Elizabeth Dare whispered, bruised face and bloody lips hurting as they pulled up into a small smile, the largest she could manage in her battered condition. While Katarina and herself had tried to fight off their attackers, Katarina had been handicapped trying to protect them both, and been overwhelmed. Several minutes of a punishing beat-down followed immediately afterwards, which led to this moment.

                “Rachel Elizabeth Dare.” Riven’s voice was soft and her words were somewhat teasing, but her burning eyes and the iron wrath in the depths of her voice made her true emotions clear. “You know, if you wanted to see me again, all you had to do was send a letter or something. And we really need to have a discussion about how you know that name.”

                “Heh…hnngh, don’t make me laugh, damnit.” The rich girl laughed a little breathily, grimacing and curling up around her bruised torso somewhat out of instinct. Riven’s eyes grew angrier as she evaluated Rachel, before looking to her companion. Noticing her gaze, Rachel explained. “Katarina, a vigilante that targets rapists or gropers. We…ran into eachother, then got ambushed by these guys on our way out of the park. She tried to fight, but…”

 _But_ , _indeed_. Riven thought to herself, examining the heavily battered red-head. Her eyes, though darkened with pain and fear, were sharp and intelligent, and Riven shuffled over to her and placed a hand on her cheek, instinctively using her patron’s power to heal some of the graver wounds on both girls, though mostly Katarina, before looking at them both.

                “You’ve done a good thing, Katarina, trying to protect my friend, and those other innocent women in the past.” She said softly to the downed vigilante, whose eyes met her own as she talked. “After I deal with these… _scum_ , I would like to have a discussion with both of you about your plans for the future. I have a…proposal to put to you.”

################################################

Katarina watched as the woman Rachel had identified as ‘Riven’ rose lithely to her feet, turning those terrifying yet fascinating crimson eyes on the gang of males surrounding them. She recognized in this woman a predator far more dangerous than herself, in the graceful and measured steps of her stride, the balance and confidence of her bearing, and the evenness of her tone as she spoke.

                “I want you to know that I am going to kill you, and if you have any desire to beg for mercy, I would do so now. You won’t get it, but I would hate for you to die with regrets.” The utter lack of threat in her tone made it clear that her words were no boasting or bluff, but a certainty. A promise. As did the way she seemed to be limbering herself up for a fight.

                “I’d like to see a little bitch like you…” the leader started, but he was cut off, literally, a blazing leg removed his head from his shoulders. Hands and fists wreathed in the sacred flames of Hestia, Riven quickly dispatched the remaining gang-members with punishing and fatal blows that ended their lives in a single, searing moment.

##################################################

                _A goddess, surely._ Katarina thought to herself, eyes glued to the awe-inspiring sight of the woman Rachel had called Riven dismantling the gang with fists and feet wreathed in fire. _Only a goddess could be so beautiful, so graceful_. _So deadly_.

Plus, there was that whole appeared-in-a-pillar-of-fire thing, and Kat was pretty sure the goddess had healed both her own injuries, and Rachel’s, because she felt a hell of a lot better than she did a few minutes ago, and it wasn’t just due to the knowledge that she wasn’t about to be gang-raped and murdered.

After living alone on the streets of New York for so long, Katarina wasn’t exactly what one would call sane anymore. While she was hardly a psychopath, society and some of its ideals had gradually lost meaning to her, as well as her ability to read social cues and follow social norms. Her already damaged mind, rendered vulnerable and desperate by the second near-rape experience of her life, latched onto the title she had instinctively bestowed upon the other woman, and suddenly the rest of the world didn’t matter. She lived only for her goddess, and would do whatever She commanded. Hopefully She would let Kat continue to hunt rapists…

When She finished with Her prey, Katarina sluggishly mover herself upright and paid Her homage, inclining her head in awe-filled respect, getting confused looks from both her goddess and Rachel. She knew why, though. Her goddess didn’t know that she saw Her for what She really was, and she spoke softly.

                “How may I serve you, Burning One?” her voice was reverent, and She blinked at her slowly, as if trying to decide what to say in return, but Katarina knew She was simply not one to act without thought.

                “Are you able to stand?” she said finally, and Katarina nodded. Even if she was unable, she would stand, for She desired it. Fortunately, however, Her healing had been effective, and other than a feeling of soreness, she was more or less well. Katarina was graced with a small smile that warmed her face and soul, before She offered Rachel Her hand in getting up. Another flash drew Katarina’s attention as a dusky skinned, Arab-looking woman appeared from nowhere, and Katarina’s eyes locked onto the two long, wicked-looking daggers on her hips as the strange woman approached Her from behind. A quick flick of her wrists later and a half-dozen throwing knives were slicing through the air in a textbook perfect spread, headed for the interloper. Her eyes widened as said interloper seemed to blur, hands darting out in quick and precise movements to pluck every blade from the air with an ease that was as impressive and baffling as it was frightening. She swiftly drew another salvo, holding them between her fingers tightly as she prepared to attack once more.

                “Katarina, stop.” Her voice halted the red-head in her tracks, arms drawn across her chest, hands raised high to throw the knives. True to Her command, Katarina didn’t move an inch, waiting with baited breath either for chastisement or further command. She continued in a softer tone. “This is Bast, one of my allies. She’s not a threat. You can relax.”

Katarina eyed the now-named Bast with a fair bit of suspicion, but heeded Her command and sheathed her blades immediately, drawing an curious look from Bast, which she steadfastly ignored in favor of focusing on Her.

                “Rachel, how did you know my new name? Or what I looked like, for that matter?” She asked, and Rachel frowned slightly in thought as she considered the question.

                “The same way I knew I would meet Katarina here in this park. I just _know_ things. I know that you used to be a boy with black hair and green eyes, that I met at the Hoover Dam.” Her frown deepened. “But I can’t remember your name, no matter how hard I try. And even my memory of what you used to look like is fading.”

                “It’s because that person no longer exists.” Bast said quietly from the side, and all three mortals looked at her in confusion, so she elaborated. “When Artemis intervened to save your existence, Riven, the Fate’s erased the very fabric of your former self. People know a Child of the Sea existed, but what he looked like, his name, everything relevant to who he was has been wiped away. Soon, they’ll remember only you, and nothing else.”

                “Clarify.” Was all She said, and Bast hummed in thought for a moment before speaking again.

                “As of right now, the Greeks remember that a male child of Poseidon rescued Artemis from the titan Atlas. By the time we return from the Isle of the Stars, they will remember the bronze-skinned, white-silver haired woman named Riven, who saved Artemis from Atlas. Only the gods will have any sort of recollection of you, or those that you were close to and remind personally.” she revealed, and Riven appeared visibly off-balance.

                “Well, then. That is…well.” Was all She said, before changing the subject. “So, what are we going to do with these bodies? I could torch them, but…”

                “I have a solution, if I may speak?” Katarina offered hesitantly, and when She gestured in acceptance, the red-haired knife-wielder continued with somewhat more confidence. “Rachel and I met a female cop tonight, decent sort.” She went on to explain the events of less than an hour ago, and knew that her goddess was as intrigued by ‘Caitlyn’s’ attitude as she herself was. “I think if we tell her something along the lines of what happened she could handle things.”

                “Okay.” Riven nodded, taking her words for it with a promptness that was rather flattering in Katarina’s opinion. She glanced at the Egyptian diety beside her and continued. “Bast, change the bodies so that they were killed by blades. I’ll tell this Caitlyn what happened, and that I killed them personally. I need you to lead us to her home when you finish.”

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Caitlyn Piltover was sound asleep, cuddled safely in post-coitus bliss with her girlfriend of five years and fellow cop, Victoria Zaun (although calling her anything other than Vi was to take your life into your hands) when her finely honed instincts discerned something Was Different, and she snapped awake, pulling her pistol out from under her pillow as she pointed it towards the window, and the shadowed pair that stood there. Her movment jolted Vi awake, who copied her, and the lead figure held up their hands placatingly.

                “Calmly, Officers, calmly.” Her voice was soft and soothing, enough so that the two considered lowering their weapons, before remembering that she had broken not only into their home, but their bedroom.

                “Who the fuck ‘re you, how the _fuck_ did you get in here, and why the hell shouldn’t I pump you full of le **a** d?” Vi snarled, furious at the potential threat to the love of her life, and to the violation of their privacy, and the second figure shifted uncomfortably, fingers flexing anxiously as the first responded.

                “I came to speak with your lover, Officer Caitlyn.” she said, apparent gaze on the brunette cop, who blinked slightly in confusion. “I understand that you treated my ‘Sinister Blade, as they call her, well after your sting tonight. I wanted to thank you for that.”

                “She your lover or something?” Vi asked, lowering her gun slightly at the reference to the vigilante her Caitlyn had mentioned frequently, most recent of which was barely a few hours ago.

                “No, not at this time. She is my…subordinate, of sorts.” The woman replied, and both cops raised their eyebrows. A vigilante having a superior, a leader? Was it some sort of organization, then?

                “And who the hell are you?” Vi said bluntly, and Caitlyn gave her a chastising look as the second figure, most likely the ‘Sinister Blade’, shifted again, this time more aggressively, though she stopped as her boss raised a hand slightly.

                “You may call me Riven Exilia, the Exile.” She introduced herself, and both cops knew immediately that the second name, at least, was false. It was far to outlandish and similar to her apparent title to be anything else. “As I said, I came to thank you for your kind words to her, and for getting scum of the streets. It is this second thing that I wish to talk a little more about.”

                “How so?” Caitlyn asked. Her voice, while clipped, cool, and professional, was still more polite than her partners, and a flash of white teeth emerged from the shadows as Riven grinned at her.

                “Simply enough, Katarina and a friend of hers were ambushed tonight after you and your comrades left. I can only imagine that their attackers were attempting to take advantage of the lax security between your sting ended and usual patrols resumed.”

                “Are the pair of them all right?” Caitlyn asked quickly, and was rewarded with another, warmer smile as Riven nodded, her head moving into the barest amount of light long enough for the bedded pair to see her silver hair.

                “They are healing from minor wounds, and that is why I must talk to you. I confess that when I arrived to find my subordinate and a mutual friend lying beaten on the ground, and a group of males arguing who would rape who and when, I may have…lost my temper.” The Exile informed her, not sounding embarrassed or apologetic in the least. “The point is, a dozen or so recently deceased thugs in various pieces have made a rather bloody mess near the western entrance to the park. I thought it only right to inform you, lest you think it was the result of a gang war or some equally problematic event.”

                “And a single woman massacring a dozen men single handed, and then casually showing up in my bloody _bedroom_ of all places, isn’t problematic?” Caitlyn bit out, her more refined accent coming out as it usually did in times of stress.

                “Not as problematic as a shooting war starting because their friends think a rival gang did it.” Riven told her bluntly, and Caitlyn grimaced as she was forced to conceded that the other woman did, in fact, have a point. “Now, I want to accept full responsibility. In your press release on the events of tonight tomorrow, inform the media that The Exile and the Sinister Blade, one of her subordinates, took it upon themselves to eliminate the gang. Feel free to release a description of the pair of us, if only to keep the gangs and solo criminals busy looking out for us.”

                “I know what Katarina looks like, but I’ve never seen you.” Caitlyn pointed out with a frown, wondering if she really wanted to give out the descriptions of the two women. Despite herself, the thought that she and Vi could get along well with these people ran heavily through her mind, not to mention the danger the pair would be in if the gangs caught up to them.

The Exile’s response was to step out of the shadows and into the moonlight, and the two officers felt their eyebrows raise and mouths drop open.

She was just a kid, probably in her late teens, with bronzed skin, silver hair, and a physique that even the well-muscled Vi was jealous of. Her eyes were even more interesting, burning like hot coals in the semi-dark, and she smiled at them genuinely.

                “Now you have.” She said simply, withdrawing into the shadows again. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine. Stay safe officers, and if you ever need help, I will give it.”

The two figures vanished, and Vi hastily turned their bedroom lamp on, to reveal an empty room, with no sign anyone else had been there. The window to the fire escape was still locked and untouched, and they hadn’t heard their locked bedroom door open or shut.

“How would we get touch with her anyway? Put out an ad in the paper? ‘Help Wanted From Sexy Silver Haired Exile and her Blood-Loving Friend?’” Vi grumbled, only to give an out of character yelp of shock and fear as Riven’s voice, soft yet strong, filled the room.

                “Call out for my help, and I will appear. Goodbye, Officers, and good luck.”

Then it was gone again, and the pair exchanged loaded looks as they tried to figure out what the hell had just happened. In the end, they spent several hours talking and decided to release vaguely accurate descriptions of the two women the next morning, but nothing accurate enough to get them killed.

That decision made, they slipped into an uneasy sleep, unaware that such a short conversation would drastically change their lives in less than two years’ time.

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**There is the last interlude from this string! Whether Caitlyn and Vi get involved romantically with Riven and CO. or not, I have yet to decide. Obviously, they are also League of Legends champs, who I ship hard as hell, just like I ship Katarina and Riven (amongst others, for both). It should be clear, however, that Riven is deliberately trying to expand her resources beyond the limited scope of her hidden world. We also saw a taste of the power Riven will develop and master as Hestia’s Champion.**


	9. Kitty Kat's and Disqus Throwing

**Here is the next chapter for The Exiles'! I appreciate everyone who tried to help me win the Twitter race event! Even though we didn't get the grandprize, we won our individual match by a landslide, so well done!**

**Now, Review Replies!**

**Amerdism: They will forgive her eventually, once they realize why she did what she did.**

**Chm01: mostly because cloud's sword offers a larger tactical variety than the rune sword would, although the version of Cloud's sword she uses will have quite a few cool abilities!**

**ClockedReaders: Of course! Even more people do this chapter, or at least the lead up to their being pulled into it is present!**

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The Exiles

Chapter Five

Kitty Kat’s and Disqus Throwing

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                "Well, your little vigilante informant friend wasn't kidding when she said that she left a bloody mess for us." Jayce, the Patrol Bureau Chief for their section of town and an all-around bastard, grumbled as he stood beside the two female officers, arms folded across his chest as he look at the spectacle before him. "I hate this shit."

Tired enough to stretch the truth a bit, Caitlyn and Vi had given themselves a full six hours of sleep before getting back to the station to inform their superiors of what had occurred, stating in their reports only that the informant had contacted them "early in the morning". They had promptly been sent for by Chief Jayce, a well-known womanizer that had been trying to get on their "good sides" for months, failing utterly at every attempt. More amused than angry, and well aware of how the patronage system in the city worked, the pair had simply settled for rebuffing his advances rather than pressing charges.

That brought them to their present situation. Nearly a dozen officers were combing through the surrounding area, looking for clues on who might have done this, while two teams of MEs were busy working over the dismembered gangsters.

                "Frankly, I'm glad of it. From what we were told, these guys were going to gang rape a couple of girls when they got stopped by The Exile. I can live with the results." Caitlyn said a trifle coldly, and Jayce eyed her angrily, before ordering the pair of them to check in with the MEs, which they did happily, walking over to the senior ME on the site, a Doctor Mallard. Interestingly, the good Doctor was not a member of the NYPD, but the ME for the Washington D.C. branch of NCIS. Apparently, they had been told, he had been the Medical Examiner there for nearly forty years, and the higher-ups had thought that the NYPD could benefit from his extensive experience. "What do you have, Doctor?"

                "Please, Officer Piltover, call me Ducky." The older man commented absently, and Vi stifled a snicker at the nickname. Not enough, apparently, as the doctor glanced up at her with an amused look. "Something amuses you, my dear Officer...?"

                "Zaun, Vi Zaun. I meant no offense doctor, but that's an odd nickname for anyone to choose for themselves." The pinkette said with an unusual amount of respect in her voice, and Ducky laughed with a nod.

                "Indeed, but I did not choose it for myself. It is the regrettable side-effect of having a particularly stubborn mother. She insisted, over the family's objections I might add, that I be named for her father." The doctor explained, turning back to the cadaver he was reassembling. "Unfortunately for me, her father was named 'Donald' and her married name was Mallard. I'm afraid that the nickname was something of a foregone conclusion after that."

Both Caitlyn and Vi laughed softly at that, shaking their heads whilst internally wondering if his mother was particularly sadistic. The teasing he must have suffered in school had to have been outrageous. Both women instantly liked the doctor, both from his apparent easy-going attitude and his sense of humor, and so waited patiently for him to respond to Caitlyn's question.

                "Well, Miss Piltover, Miss Zaun, I can tell you that the information you were given was quite accurate. The majority of these men were cut with a sword, something I think to be rather obvious. However, that is not what is particularly interesting to me. These cuts seem...unusual to me.” He said finally, prodding the corpse a bit. Exchanging glances, the two women crouched down next to him.

                "What do you mean by unusual, Ducky?" Vi asked, curious. She thought everything looked fairly straightforward, but then, she was a patrol officer, not an ME. Nor was she educated in the study of sword-wounds.

                "The sword that made these wounds was truly massive in size, and must have weighed an enormous amount."

                "Like, Scottish claymore massive?" Caitlyn asked, mentioning the largest sword she knew of.

                "No, significantly larger. See how most of the bodies are cut from shoulder to opposite hip, and some bisected from crown to crotch?" the Doctor pointed out two relevant examples, and the pair frowned as they saw what he was pointing out, and nodded. "Well, I can tell you that every wound was made with a single blow with almost inhuman force."

                "Meaning...?" Caitlyn lead, and the Doctor rocked back on his heels with a gusty sigh as he gazed over the scene.

                "Meaning that your vigilante is wielding a sword that is both monstrously large, and wickedly sharp. Every cut is clean and complete. There was no hacking away to finish the wound. Nor is there any evidence of hesitation or reluctance. One swing, one kill, on every single person here. A sword of that size would have to weigh somewhere between twelve and fifteen pounds, and that would make its length in excess of forty -five inches." He explained solemnly, glancing up at the pair as they exchanged shocked and awed looks. Giving them a moment to absorb that, he continued. "Your vigilante, whomever she is, could quite possibly be the deadliest melee combatant alive. These bastards, for all they deserved what they got, never stood a chance against her."

                "And you're sure it was the same person and the same weapon?" Vi asked slowly, trying to grasp the idea that the cute teenage girl she had met a few hours ago was so lethal. She somewhat hoped that the Doctor was wrong, because she did not know if she wanted to think about just how dangerous this made the girl.

                "Positive. Once I get back to the lab I will be able to provide a more detailed report, but I am sure of my initial assumptions." He nodded, before glancing over at the still-glowering Jayce. Leaning closer to them, he continued. "Officers, I would appreciate it if you would come visit me when we return."

Blinking in confusion, the pair never the less agreed to do so, and returned to their commander.

                "Well? What did the old man have to say?" he grunted, receiving a pair of barely perceptible frowns (which he missed entirely) in return before they answered him, dutifully explain what the Doctor had told them. Growling under his breath, he glowered even further as he bit out. "Damn it! So I've got some goddamned vigilante running around cutting people up like some sort of modern fucking Joan of Arc, is that what you're telling me?"

                "Not only that, but that she is the leader of her own organization, sir, one dedicated to getting rid of people like this." Vi said stiffly, jerking her head at the corpses, which were now in the process of being loaded into the ME vans. "I wouldn't suggest trying to go after her, sir. Not if she can kill a dozen armed thugs in melee combat. Even without a sword, she could kill or cripple with blows from her bare hands, given the amount of strength that would be required to wield that kind of weapon."

                "No one takes their law into their own hands in my city. No one." Jayce growled, turning and starting to walk away. He paused, glancing back at the pair, and sneered at them. "And the pair of you are suspended, pending an investigation into your competency as officers and possible charges of aiding and abetting. You had this bitch and the "Sinister Blade" in your house and you let them leave unmolested."

With that, the overly-dressed peacock stalked away, leaving a horrified Caitlyn, a furious Vi, and a carefully expressionless Ducky, whose mind was already racing.

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                "I see you have returned from your latest outing with yet more strays." Sif commented with amusement, getting an irritated huff of annoyance in response from Riven, before directing her attention to the pair of redheads. "And whose children are you?"

                "No one’s, both are mortal." Riven interjected, before the confused pair could reply. Pointing to Rachel and Katarina in turn, she continued. "Rachel has The Sight, very powerfully. She knew who I used to be, my new name, and my new appearance before hand. This, is Katarina. A vigilante that targets sexual predators in New York, where she is known as The Sinister Blade."

                "Well met, both of you." The Norse goddess of war said with a warm smile, which was somewhat tentatively returned by Rachel, though Katarina remained silent and impassive. Frowning slightly at the older of the two, Sif continued. "Regardless of how beneficial to our cause this habit of yours seems to be, we nevertheless can no longer put off our plans. We _must_ begin now."

                "I understand. Make whatever preparations are needed whilst I see our new guests safely to the cabin. I will return shortly." Riven nodded tightly, eyes full of determination, and she turned on her heel, one hand lifting to gesture commandingly to her new companions, who hastened after her.

                "She has no idea of the aura, the presence of command that she projects, does she?" a familiar voice murmured, and Sif glanced over at Ishtar as the Mesopotamian deity slid up beside her. Though the goddess' eyes still lingered appreciatively on the form of their future leader, her eyes and voice were serious, and Sif was struck by how very different she was when she was thinking like a goddess of War, instead of Sex. "She gives commands with confidence and expects them to be followed. She spares no thought for tender feelings or whom she is addressing. She is..."

                "Perfect." Sif murmured the word they were both thinking, and Ishtar nodded mutely beside her. They continued to watch the trio until they were out of sight, before Sif sighed and looked at her companion. "Come, Ishtar, we have our marching orders. Best we get to it, before she vanishes on some hare-brained scheme once more."

Ishtar snorted with laughter, her twin Companions tittering in amusement as well, as all three followed Sif further inside the pagoda.

There was work to be done.

#############################################

                "It's not much, I know, but it will be our home for now." Riven said softly as she watched Rachel look around the cabin that had been assigned to the Greek demigods and their companions, whilst a fuming Katarina leaned against the wall near the door, a dark scowl on her features. She knew that Rachel, especially, was more used to accommodations of a far more luxurious nature.

                "It suits me just fine. It is peaceful, homey. Certainly feels more welcoming that home, despite all the weird and downright dirty looks we got on the way over here." Rachel said rather happily, although she was frowning as she thought about the aforementioned looks. "What were those about anyway?"

                "The demigods that call this island home; that is the Egyptian, Norse, and Mesopotamian demigods, are divided on how they feel about me and those with me. Some believe I am prophesized to cast down the gods of old and take my place as defender of Earth and all its people. Some think that I am here to cause strife or conquer them from within for my Greek overlords. And the rest...the rest either haven't decided yet or don't give a shit." Riven said, mouth twisting into a wry grin towards the end as she shrugged lightly.

                "Hmph. How dare they disrespect you so openly. I ought to bleed the stupidity from their veins, and see if that improves their outlook on life." Katarina growled. She had at first thought the looks and whispers had been directed towards herself and Rachel, obvious newcomers that they were. It rapidly became clear that the true focus of the negativity was her Mistress, and her anger had begun to grow exponentially as she heard snippets of the conversations being had. Insults, lewd remarks, half-formed plots of a dastardly nature, and more besides, all of which had her fiddling with her knives as she waited for the order to attack. It never came however, and Katarina was confused why. Why did She allow such...malignant speech in Her presence?

                "Ignore them, Katarina. They're either fools or cowards, to afraid of change or to lose whatever perceived power they believe they possess. I have no concern over their grumblings, and neither should you." Riven said calmly, a small smirk gracing Her features, and Katarina understood, gazing at Her in something akin to awe. Of course, She would not deign to respond to such lesser creatures with wrath or words. So far beneath Her were they, that She paid no more attention to them then She did to an ant. Katarina refocused on Her words as She continued to speak. "I don't know what either of you will be able to do for the next five years-fifteen months, in the Outside World- but..."

                "We can train with you, Riven." Rachel said confidently, and Riven looked at her in surprise, eyebrows shooting up.

                "Rachel, I know you're not some weak little rich girl, but we're talking about god-born children fighting nearly all out against one another in preparation to fight gods and titans themselves. As powerful as your Sight is, you are still a mortal."

                "I agree with Rachel, My Mistress." Katarina said suddenly, as Rachel opened her mouth to argue. When She looked at her, Katarina cast her eyes to the floor demurely. "The ancient stories are filled with mere mortals who could fight alongside the demigods. Surely You and your fellows can gift us with the power or the relics needed to fight beside You?"

                "...It is certainly possible, but are the pair of you sure? This is going to be dangerous, and I have no illusions about everyone making it out alive, no matter how hard we train." Riven replied slowly, sounding very unsure, and both redheads shook their heads in dismissal of her worries.

                "We can handle it, Riven. I'm no quitter, and Katarina is already pretty badass herself." Rachel said, grinning at Katarina, who smiled back slightly, before nodding her head to her Mistress, as She looked at her.

                "Very well, I will talk with the others. But you're to not go overboard. Neither of you are any good to me in the hospital or worse, thank you very much." Riven said gruffly with a sigh, turning and leaving the cabin, calling out over her shoulder. "Now, go ahead and get some sleep. I am needed elsewhere."

Katarina was tempted to protest, to say that she had to remain by Her side, but the words perished in their infancy as She gave each of them a gentle kiss on the forehead, resulting in a pair of blushes and a mental shutdown on the part of the Sinister Blade, whose mind flashed back to the inquiry made by Vi Zaun a few hours ago.

                _“She your lover or something?”_

_“No, not at this time.”_

Not at this time, her Mistress had said. Which meant that She found Katarina’s unworthy self attractive enough to service her in the future. While the idea of warming Her bed was not…unpleasant to consider (She was incredibly beautiful, after all, with her muscular, tanned body, her large bust, and her long legs), she had no idea why She would think Katarina was worthy of such a thing. If She offered Katarina a place in her bed, she would respectfully refuse. Even if She ordered it, as was Her right, she would still attempt to demure, that She might not lower herself to consort with the likes of Katarina.

                “You must be the new pair that impressed Ri so much.” An unfamiliar voice came from the doorway, much to the shock of the pair, who hadn’t heard anyone open the door and enter. Both spun to look at the entryway and saw the pair that stood there, both dressed in clothes appropriate for physical activity and carrying weapons.

The one on the left looked vaguely Italian, with olive skin, black eyes, and silky black hair hanging lose down to her shoulder-blades. While she was no giant, she was probably at least 5’ 9” tall, and clearly an athlete, though Katarina’s practiced eye noted that she seemed built for speed and agility as opposed to raw strength, like Katarina herself. On her back was a recurve bow of polished black wood, sheathed beside a quiver full of black arrows.

The other was clearly more familiar with melee combat, as supported by her muscular build and greater height –six feet even, Katarina was willing to bet- and the black spear and shield that were slung over her own shoulders. This spear-women had electric blue eyes and shoulder length, somewhat spiky, raven hair, a small smirk on her mouth as she regarded them.

                “Who are you to take such liberties with my Mistress, The Burning One? How dare you speak of her so casually! You will pay for your impudence!” Katarina growled, hands dropping to her throwing-knife bandoleer, and the spear-women raised an eyebrow in response, her smirk broadening as she looked the red-head over.

                “They weren’t kidding when they talked about you, missy.” She said, eyes twinkling with mischief. “As for who I am? I’m Thalia Grace, the girl who gets to take _all_ the liberties with your Mistress.”

                “Bitch!” Katarina shouted as her hands blurred, sending a flurry of knives flashing towards her. Thalia moved just as fast, her hoplon slamming into position, the small blades skittering off of it’s impermeable face without leaving a scratch.

                “Gonna have to do better than that, Kitty Kat!” Thalia jeered, jumping backwards out of the cabin, an enraged red-head following with two short-swords drawn and gleaming.

                “Wait, stop!” Rachel cried ineffectually, rushing after them with an out-stretched hand, only to be stopped by the Italian girl, who caught her around the waist with a single arm. Struggling uselessly against the other girl’s more powerful strength, she eventually gave up and leveled her worst glare at her, though she seemed unmoved. “We have to stop them before they hurt each other!”

                “Thalia isn’t in any danger whatsoever, no matter how skilled her opponent is. Not only do powerful wards prevent fatal injuries anywhere on the island, but Thalia is…gifted. She is a very skilled fighter, and furthermore has the advantage of her birthright.”

                “A daughter of Zeus, yes?” Rachel mumbled, eyes glazing over slightly for a moment as she stared after the pair, and Bianca looked down at her, eyebrows raising slightly. Riven had said that she had The Sight, but hearing about her power and seeing it were two very different things. The rich girl seemed to come back to herself, shaking her head slightly before frowning up at Bianca. “Katarina is really good to, you know. Just because she is a regular human doesn’t mean she is weak.”

                “I know that, I meant no offense to her skills. From what Riven said in the short time frame I had to speak with her after you all returned, Katarina is a highly skilled and very deadly combatant. Thalia, however, is better. Truthfully, I can only imagine just how amazing Katarina will be after she received proper training.”

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Utilizing her power over the sky, Thalia summoned a gust of wind to augment her most recent jump, carrying her to the roof of the next available cabin. Seeing Katarina glaring at her as the redhead tried to figure out how to reach her, the ravennette took a moment to catch her breath, her smirk long gone and replaced by a more serious expression. The so-called ‘Sinister Blade’ was good, very good, especially for a mortal, and she was actually making Thalia work rather hard, though the Daughter of Zeus wasn’t exactly utilizing her full strength. Her intention was to test the girl, after all, not beat her into the ground.

Once Riven had returned, Thalia and Bianca had barely had time to have a two minute chat with her outside the Pagoda,  Thalia a receiving kiss on the mouth and Bianca one of the cheek, before she swept away to meet with the Council of Goddesses. That two minute discussion mainly consisted of the two of them chastising her for vanishing, her apologizing and saying she was fine, and a thirty second synopsis if what went down in New York City.

When Thalia had heard that Katarina had, after coming to the conclusion that Riven was some sort of savior or deity, sworn to follow the snow-haired Exile everywhere she went and to serve her every whim, the spear-wielding demigoddess had decided that she wanted to meet this ‘Sinister Blade’ for herself. The girl seemed loyal, if rather hot headed (as shown by her immediate anger over Thalia’s words regarding Riven), but Thalia knew that the best way to get to know someone was to fight them. Thus, when the opportunity presented itself to bait Katarina into a fight, she had waved the proverbial red flag in front of the proverbial bull.

She was drawn from her thoughts as her eyes noted movement, and she focused back on Katarina in time to see her do some rather impressive parkour stunts to reach the roof, jumping back and forth between the outer walls of the cabin Thalia was on, and the one beside it, before finally ending in a sideways spiral flip to land opposite Thalia, her gleaming swords coming up into a ready stance once more.

                “You’re good, girly, especially for a mortal. By all the gods of fact and fiction, you’re better than most _demigods_ I’ve dueled with.” She complimented, honesty filling her tone as she settled into her stance, shield coming up and spear levelling at her opponent. “But are you good enough to protect Riven? To serve her and defend her, to cut down her enemies? Of this, I am less sure.”

Thalia exploded into motion, her shield at the fore of her charge both for cover, and to act as a battering ram as she barreled towards the red-head, who ducked and spun out of the way, her swords blurring into motion as she struck at Thalia’s flank and back. Metal clashed on metal as Thalia stop and spun on a dime, her spear spinning nearly 360 degrees  to knock the blades up and away from her body. Katarina backflipped away as Thalia continued her spin, hurling her shield like a discus.

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Katarian, despite her initial anger with this ‘Thalia’ person, now understood that she was being tested by one of her Mistress’ elite soldiers. It was evident in every movement that the other girl made that Thalia was an expert in close-quarters combat. While slower and less agile than Katarina was by a fair margin, her strength and experience made up for it, allowing her to essentially dominate the fight thus far.

She flinched as Thalia’s shield hummed past her head, the 3’ diameter and 16lb disk displacing a significant amount of air as it passed, and she felt a swell of relief as Thalia nodded in approval. She knew that if that shield had struck her, she would have been knocked out at least, and the fact that her opponent was not taking it easier on her gave birth to a confidence, confidence that she could protect her Mistress.

She advanced rapidly, intent on closing with her opponent, when something massive and hard crashed into her legs from behind, taking them out from under her. As her body hit the roof, she cried out in pain, knowing instinctively that her legs were at the very least severely bruised, if not hair-line fractured. Struggling to right herself, she settled as Thalia appeared in her vision, shield back on her arm, and knelt beside her.

                “Easy now, that hit you hard.” The girl said gently, using one hand to press gently on her shoulder and keep her from moving. Katarina looked at her in confusion, and she smiled warmly before continuing. “I think you have what it takes, Katarina. With training and some augmentation, you will be one of Riven’s most dangerous assets for her cause. That’s why I didn’t take it too easy on you.”

                “I still failed.” The red-head growled, embarrassed and angry with herself for her loss, and she turned her head away in shame. A gentle touch on her chin made her look back to meet Thalia’s compassionate eyes.

                “You stood against me. The only other people who I’ve fought that can do as well as you are Bianca and Riven’s old mentor. The only who CAN beat me is Riven herself. There is no shame in losing to a better opponent. Instead, ask questions and learn lessons, so that you become that much harder to beat. Then, Riven becomes that much safer.” Thalia told her, voice kind but strong, and Katarina nodded tightly, mindful of the pain in her legs.

                “First question then: how the hell did you get your shield to come back? I can only assume that is what hit me, but last I checked shields weren’t boomerangs.” She huffed, and Thalia grinned a little wryly, scratching her cheek almost sheepishly.

                “That was my first lesson to you on facing demigods in battle: our weapons are almost always enchanted. While special abilities vary from weapon to weapon, almost all of them are designed to return to their owner in some fashion if lost. My shield has two branches of this ability. The first, which you experienced, is that I can hurl it at a target and then call it back, using this bracelet.” Here the ravenette displayed the silver charm bracelet on her shield-arm, upon which Katarina saw a smaller version of the shield that had downed her. The second, is that if I lose it or am unable to recall it, it teleports and shrinks itself back onto the bracelet so I can use it again. However, that takes a couple of minutes to have happen, during which I have no shield.”

                “So disarming a demigod is a temporary thing, and if somebody throws something at me, I need to watch my back?” Katarina groaned, the pain starting to get the best of her, and Thalia nodded with a smile. “Fantastic, I’ll remember that. I don’t suppose I could have some Tylenol?”

                “I can do you one better. Let’s get you to the infirmary.” Thalia responded, focusing her powers to lift the injured girl on a cushion of wind and lower her into the waiting arms of a pair of medic-trained demigods that were waiting below. Watching as they put her on a stretcher and hastily (though carefully) carted her away, she heard a slight thudding sound behind her and too her right, and she turned her head enough to see Bianca standing there, eyes concerned. “She’ll be fine, and so will I. No significant or permanent damage, and she should be healed by tomorrow afternoon, I would guess. Sooner, more likely.”

                “Was that quite needed, Thalia?” Bianca asked quietly, though not angrily, and Thalia’s eyes darkened as she considered the demigods who had gather to watch the fight, regarding them with mistrust and care.

                “Exceptionally so. I’m sure Riven will want to have words with me, I can explain it to the both of you then.” She responded simply, deliberately summoning her shield and placing both it and her spear on her back as she descended from the roof and headed back towards their cabin, Bianca trailing along a minute behind.

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**Yes, I decided to bring yet another crossover element into this. The decision was deliberate, and will be relevant later on in the story. Highly so, as a matter of fact.**


	10. Sinister and Dexterous

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The Exiles'

Chapter Six

Sinister and Dexterous

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Riven folded her hands behind her back as she watched the gathered goddesses finish laying the massive wards across the Isle of the Stars, removing the bastion of the Lost Pantheons from the flows of time in the world beyond.

"And…done." Tsukuyomi sighed tiredly, and Riven was somewhat shocked and disturbed to see beads of golden, ichor sweat dripping down her face. She had never seen a diety expend so much effort that it would affect them so. Quite frankly, she had never thought something could ever drive them to such a point, short of a battle against foes of equal power. "The field is in place. Time inside of the Isle will now pass several magnitudes faster than that of the outside world."

"And this will have no negative side-effects on any of us?" Riven asked sharply, and the Moon Goddess of Japan shook her head in response.

"No, not really. Time will pass at normal rate within the barrier, or at least it will feel as such. Think of time as a river, and the barrier is a rock surrounded but above the waters."

"I'm…not entirely sure I understand that, but as long as neither we nor those outside will be harmed in anyway, I suppose it doesn't really matter. When should we begin training?" Riven shrugged slightly in confusion before looking inquiringly at Sif, who as a diety of war would be one of their primary advisors during the following years of training.

"As soon as you believe yourself capable. There is much work to be done and, despite our efforts, little time with which to do it." The tall Norse goddess responded, and Riven hummed in understanding.

"Very well. Excuse me, I must speak with Thalia and Bianca. We will speak again later." Riven said, her tone making the phrase sound almost like a dismissal, as she began to turn on her heel and stride from the room. Sif smirked to herself as the image of the girl was temporarily overwritten by another.

It was the same young woman, but there were obvious differences. She was a good foot taller, her breasts fuller, hips wider, legs longer. All other details were hidden from her sight by the form-fitting but imposing ebony plate armor she was now wearing, a plumed helm hiding the upper half of her face. A long, crimson cloak swirled around her as she walked, and the massive blade on her back shone faintly with runes of power.

Sif knew that she was seeing the girl as she would be in five years. A gift every diety or war received was to see the potential and glorious future of any true, legendary-class warrior that they might meet, and Sif had to admit (even if only to herself) that the future looked _good_.

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Riven strode with purpose through the community, intent on returning to her assigned cabin in order to discuss the future with her four companions, when she saw Rachel walking along further down, looking both lost and fairly distressed. Frowning to herself, the snow-haired demigoddess broke into a light jog, quickly reaching the red-haired Seer and grabbing her arm.

Rachel gave out a startled, high-pitched 'eep!' of alarm, spinning around with shock and a hint of fear in her eyes, before recognizing Riven and relaxing. A moment later, Riven was met head-on by a glare of truly epic proportions.

"What are you doing, surprising me like that!" the red-head backhanded her arm, her voice a hiss of displeasure and nerves, along with a tinge or relief. Wincing slightly at the blow (for a mortal, the smaller girl backed quite the proverbial punch!) Riven cocked her head to the side, eyes curious.

"What's up, Rachel? Where are you going, and why did you look so worried?" she inquired, and the red-head shuffled a little awkwardly, biting her bottom lip an scuffing her foot in the ground. If her reaction didn't increase her worry by a fair amount, Riven would have found it downright adorable. As it was, she only grew more apprehensive about the answer. Her tone now stern, she spoke again. "Rachel, you will tell me what happened."

"Well, it turns out that Katarina is in the infirmary..." was all she managed to say before Riven's eyes flickered, changing from a sparkling amethyst to a malevolent, burning crimson. The air pressure around them seemed to double, as if gravity itself had been increased, and Rachel collapsed to her knees with a strangled gasp as the ground beneath The Exile's feet shattered, creating a small crater with the girl herself at its epicenter. Heat bloomed as, with a roar of flame, the Grecian demigoddess vanished in what was becoming her signature dramatic transportation ability.

Ignoring the mutterings and looks of the god-born around her, the Seer got back to her feet and staggered off towards their cabin. She _really_ needed to lie down after that little display of power she had just been privy too.

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Honing in on Katarina's aura, Riven almost instantly found herself within the infirmary, appearing in a pillar of fire at her Blade's bedside. Ignoring the shocked and indignant cries of the buildings other inhabitants, she carefully looked the red-head over. She seemed in fairly good shape, in fact the only noticeable problems were her bandaged legs. Feeling something whisper to her from within, she ignited her right hand in flames, but they were flames of a different sort than those with which she slaughtered the would-be rapists in New York. Instead of the furious white-cored orange and red, it was a bright, shimmering silver. Humming a nameless tune under her breath, Riven placed her hand on her companion's chest, and the fire began to pulse, sending waves of energy rippling through the other girl's body.

Unbeknownst to her, these ripples echoed down another, far more tenuous link, one which transcended space and time.

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Several Hunters cried out in shock and concern as Artemis flinched badly, the arrow she had been firing at a rampaging manticore going whistling off into the darkness of the trees instead of piercing the monster's skull. Roaring victoriously, the manticore leapt forwards to maul one of her eldest hunters, a companion that had been with her since the early 1300s, a Scottish woman by the name of Niume Albion. Artemis shouted in alarm, terrified that she was going to lose another Huntress (and this time to a far more permanent loss than that of Bianca), but her old friend proved far from easy prey. Sneering as the monster bore down on her, her bow vanished in a flash of light as she summoned her melee weapon.

Unlike the majority of the Hunters, and indeed Artemis herself, Nimue did not wield twin daggers, scoffing and calling them "the weapons of some prissy English noblewoman, not a proud highlander of true Scottish blood!" No indeed, the weapon which replaced her bow was a 47-inch long Scottish _claidheamh-mor_ , or as it was more commonly called, the claymore.

The blade did not so much sever the beast's head, but rather smashed into it in the manner that one might hit the ball off of a tee in tee-ball. The manticore's head was off like a shot, and Nimue planted the sword-point first as she held a hand over her eyes in the classic "shading your eyes from the sun as you watch the flying ball" gesture.

"And the ugly bastard is going, going, going aaaannnndddd," she called like a sports announcer, and then the monster's head, and body, exploded into golden dust. "It's gone! Another one, right out of the park. And the crowd just goes wild!"

Several of the younger, more recent Huntresses playfully cheered and whistled, leading to the great-sword wielder to walk around in a circle, free arm upraised like she basking in the cheers of a stadium.

Sighing to herself, Artemis shook her head in amused disbelief at the antics that few, if any, outsiders would ever get to observe. Her Hunters really could act like complete children, though she had no problems with them releasing their tension and easing their lives however they had to, given the constant danger they endured and horrible pasts so many of them had joined her to escape.

Of course, the fact that much of the tension-release and life-easing involved 'romantic entanglements' with each other was perfectly fine with her. As long as the relationships did not endanger The Hunt or Olympus, she was very happy to let them do as they pleased.

"Yes, yes. Well done Nimue." She finally said dryly, bringing the girl's grand-standing to a close, something she did with an outrageous pout of disappointment, causing Artemis and the rest of the Hunt to snort in amusement. Another, visible shiver went through the physical personification of the moon, immediately reminding the entire Hunt of just why Nimue had been presented with another opportunity to feed her (admittedly jocular) ego.

"My Lady, what happened? I've never seen you react to anything in such a way as to make you miss a shot fired with intent to kill." one of the Huntresses asked worriedly, and Artemis smiled reassuringly at her.

"I am unsure. There was a sensation of rage and then cold, focused anger. Then...someone used my blessing to heal another." She said with a frown, causing the Hunters to murmur to one another as they tried to decipher the meaning and cause behind her words.

"How can anyone use your blessing, My Lady? Is it not a passive ability, one which boosts our affinities for bow and blade, and our connection with nature, outside of our command?" another Huntress asked, and Artemis nodded absently, still deep in thought.

"I think the answer to this is clear. There is only one individual to whom you have imparted an active, willful blessing. Only one whom can call on that power to heal another. Is that not correct, Artemis?" Zoe said softly, ignoring the chorus of hisses directed her way for her less-than-respectful address of their patron, and Artemis' eyes widened as her head shot around to lock onto Zoe's own, the hope she felt shimmering within them.

"The Child of the Sea..." she breathed, her mind's eye replaying the image of the beautiful young woman sleeping peacefully in her father's cabin. How she regretted angering the young woman, how she wished she had had time to explain, but there had _been_ no time. Not if she was going to save her life, though if she had been less giddy she would have stayed at the former male's bedside in order to explain when he awakened, instead of letting him awaken alone and without any explanation whatsoever for the radical changes he had undergone in his sleep. Her power surged, her aura shining with unaccustomed radiance (humans the world over would speak for decades about the night the moon shone abnormally bright, with no scientific explanation) as she desperately tried to follow the thin connection back to the missing daughter of the Big Three. Instead, however, she ran headfirst into a barrier that felt distinctly divine in origin.

"Another god or goddess is blocking my attempts to reach her. Any attempts I make to break through could cause a significant backlash onto her." She growled finally after several silent minutes of attempts to circumvent the aforementioned barrier without causing the aforementioned backlash. Zoe visibly wilted sadly, an emotion that Artemis was all too familiar with of late. "Still, I have no doubt that she will return to cast my grandfather back into Tartarus. After all, she will not allow the murderers of the mother and step-father to roam free of retribution."

Any reply Zoe might have made to her old friend's comment was forgotten as an incredibly concerned Hestia appeared in a pillar of fire at the center of their camp, eyes flicking about for a moment before settling on Artemis, whereupon her face set into a dark scowl, a very foreign look for the sweet eldest goddess.

"ARTEMIS! WHERE IS SHE!" the goddess of hearth and home snarled, actually _stomping_ her way over to her niece, wisps of flame seeping out of her flesh as the grass withered and burnt around her feet. Her hands were clenching and loosening rhythmically as she came to a halt in front of Artemis, and the Huntress had the distinct impression that they had an overwhelming desire to be latched to her throat. What was currently more important, however, was the very

"Aunt Hestia, how would you know that the Sea Child has gone missing..." she said slowly, her eyes narrowing as she regarded the other diety suspiciously. "Unless you had something to do with it! Another goddess is blocking my attempts to find her! Your doing?!"

"I came to ask you the same thing! I made Riven my Champion, but I can no longer reach her! I thought _you_ must have taken her to try and make up for your spectacular blunder before!" Hestia shot back, folding her arms over her chest as The Hunt shuffled awkwardly, totally unsure about just what they should do with themselves while their patron and her closest relative snarled away at each other.

 _"Your_ champion?! My blessing upon her made her _mine_! How dare you try to usurp my claim!" Artemis was well and truly furious now, her concern for her silver-haired warrior fueling her anger, an anger that Hestia was matching with all the fire of the more volatile part of her nature. Though few ever had the chance to see it, Hestia was one of the most dangerous Olympians when her wrath was let loose. Not only because of her affinity for fire, but also due to her nature as goddess of hearth and family. Nothing was more dangerous than someone protecting their home and loved ones, as those who were unfortunate enough to earn Hestia's ire soon found.

" _Your_ claim? It was _I_ who aided her in escaping Camp Half-Blood and New York! She is _mine_!"

"Ha! So you think just because you helped her disappear you are better than me? It was _I_ whom she came to rescue! It was two of _my_ Hunt that she risked the wrath of The Fates to save! It is _I_ who saved her life by transforming her and restoring her to health!"

"She didn't ask you too!"

"She was busy going into a coma!"

"Well...!"

"QUIET!" Zoe finally roared, having enough of the frankly embarrassing situation. It was both humiliating and incredibly awkward to watch two goddesses fight like children over a mutually favorite toy. What made her irritation worse was the fact that she had to fight an almost instinctual desire to stake her own claim to her personal savior. Shocked at being addressed at such a volume and in such a tone, the two squabbling women turned simultaneously to look at her, blinking owlishly in apparent bafflement. Now in possession of their attention, she continued. " _Both_ of you are acting like children, which will do NOTHING to help...wait, Lady Hestia, did you call her Riven?"

Her lecture was sidetracked magnificently by the information that had only just processed for her, and Artemis, along with the rest of the Hunt, blinked in unison as they reviewed the recently-halted argument and found that, yes, Hestia did call the missing demigoddess Riven.

"...Yes, she has given herself a new name. Riven, the Exile, is what she calls herself now." Hestia acknowledged after a moment, and Artemis whimpered softly at the bleak reality of the name and self-assigned title the girl she so cared for had given herself. All because of what she, Artemis, had done. Hearing this, Hestia gave her a sad smile, anger fading away in the face of her niece's sorrow and self-condemnation, and gave her a reassuring hug. "Do not be so concerned, dear Artemis. After all, she is both very powerful and Fated to do great things. One can fail despite possessing one or the other, but never both. She'll be fine."

Artemis nodded with a fair bit of firmness, still sad but unwilling to let her emotions get the best of her and instead continue trying to better herself and the Olympians in order to craft herself and them into something that Riven would be proud of fighting for and, though she barely dared to hope, loving.

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 ** _"THALIA!"_** Riven's voice thundered outside the cabin they had been assigned, and the child of Zeus sighed to herself in resignation as she squared her shoulders and exited the building to stand before her friend and sweetheart, who was looking decidedly un-sweet at the moment. Her power was rolling off of her in waves, distorting the air around her and causing hairline cracks to begin spreading across the ground beneath her.

"Riven, baby, don't you think you need to relax a little. You're starting to scare the little people." Thalia said dryly, folding her arms across her chest with a small smirk as she looked around at the quivering non-Greeks, who were rapidly revising their opinion of Riven being a weakling as they struggled to remain upright and/or breathing.

"Thalia, why is my Sinister Blade in the infirmary at your hands?" Riven growled out after a moment, visibly trying to reign herself in, and Thalia glanced around at their watches again, this time with suspicion and caution rather than amusement.

"I will explain everything to you within privacy, Riven, and not a moment sooner." She declared firmly, turning back around and heading back into the cabin. Riven opened her mouth to bark something harsh to her, before pausing and taking a quick look around for herself. Sighing, she followed her girlfriend without protest.

Once inside, Rive nglared at her two closest friends and companions, her family, as she folded her arms across her chest and tapped a foot impatiently. Thalia and Bianca exchanged looks and a few hushed whispers before looking at her again.

"I incited Katarina into a fight, I admit it, but I did it for you, and for us." She started, and Riven scoffed in disbelief, raising and eyebrow, and Thalia glared just as harshly as her lover was. "You might not like my methods, but there was no way I saw going to let some mortal join up out of nowhere without seeing if she had what it takes! And secondly, she and I impressed upon every demigod who watched or heard the story that your followers are nothing to be trifled with! These foreign demigods saw not only my own power and skill with arms, but that of an ordinary mortal. Anyone who was planning on interfering with you or striking against us have been shown that we are not to be trifled with, a message made all the stronger by your display outside just now."

Riven grimaced, trying to stay angry, but the earnest, almost desperate, honesty in Thalia's voice, as well as an admittedly sound argument, were making it difficult to do so. She too knew that there were murmurs of rebellion, people who hated them for being Greek , children of the ruling pantheon. Many hated them simply for that, though a fair few hated them on the belief that they were spies intent on destroying or enslaving these remnants of the fallen pantheons.

"So it was all just a display of strength, something to make them think twice about coming after us?" she finally said aloud, trying to keep her voice calm, and Thalia nodded. Growling softly to herself, Riven ran a hand through her hair, pacing slightly back and forth as she tried to decide what to do and say. Her lover had done something without her permission, acted unilateraly and resulting in the injury, light though it was, of a comrade. She had to decide if Thalia's intentions and the result were sufficient cause. Above and beyond that, she had to decide if she was willing to trust Thalia, her lover and best friend, one of the two young women that she planned on making her Hands in their budding faction, to act autonomously for the good of the group.

Decision made, she returned her attention to Thalia, taking not of the fear and vulnerability that hid inside of her eyes, and knew that what she said next could easily make or break not only their relationship, but also Thalia herself.

"There was no true harm done, and Katarina told me how you treated her and what you said after you bested her. I trust your instincts, Lia, and I trust you to be one of my Hands. Help me save this world, help me free our kin from the existences that they currently suffer through?" she said finally, and Thalia smiled hugely at her, eyes wet and full of love.

"I will always be by your side, my Riven..." she swore, kneeling and placing a fisted right hand over her heart as she swore her oath."Your cause is my own, your beliefs my laws. Those you love will be my family, your enemies my prey. All that I am, body and soul, I offer to you. My Lady, My Mistress, My Exile."

"I, too, offer all that I am, My Lady. You saved my life and showed me that there was more to my existence than serving at the whims of gods who care little for my life and happiness. All that I am is yours to do with as you please." Bianca mimicked Thalia, and Riven's eyes flared red at their submissive declarations of loyalty and their offering of themselves. Following an instinct that she had never before experienced, she stepped forward and raised them both to their feet with gentle hands. She turned first to Thalia, gently stroking the side of her face.

 **"Are you sure, dear heart?"** The Exile asked softly, voice rippling with power, and odd echo-like effect distorting her voice*, and both girls shuddered in response, breath becoming somewhat labored and their cheeks flushed. **"Body and soul, are you mine to Command as I please?"**

"Always, Riven. Whatever you desire of me, it is yours." Thalia replied, breathless with arousal but still firm and sure. The Exile smirked confidently, tilting the ravenette's head to the side and nuzzling her throat sensually, before biting down hard on the exposed flesh, getting a surprised gasp followed by a moan from the Lady of Lightning.

 **"Σας γνωρίζουμε ως Θάλεια , εραστής και φίλος . Σας αναφέρω τώρα Θάλεια , το δεξί χέρι και σύντροφος της εξορίας . Σας σηματοδοτήσει τώρα η δική μου για όλη την αιωνιότητα** !**" She thundered, and Thalia fell to her knees in ecstasy as The Exile's power washed over her. The bite mark on her throat blazed an angry red for a single breath, before black runic symbols began forming around it. On all four sides of her neck, small Greek lettering proclaimed her a Companion of the Exile, the words following the rim of a circle within which were the Norse runes for Mannaz, Thurisaz, Ehwaz, and Inguz, with a larger Sowulo in the center, all superimposed over a crimson triskelion. All four circles were soon linked to one another by a Celtic Knot-style tattoo, giving it the appearance of a small, black runic collar around Thalia's throat.

As Thalia shuddered and moaned softly in abject bliss, Riven turned from the somewhat lewdly insensate girl to Bianca, who looked both envious and apprehensive of her cousin. A long finger gently turned her face until her eyes met The Exile's, and the Daughter of Death felt her panties dampen significantly at the expression of domination and affection that filled her savior's eyes.

 **"And you, dearest Bianca? Are you sure you want to give everything, to submit before me and to serve me as I Command?"** the underlying message and invitation was clear, and Bianca gulped as she tried to reign in the fires of desire that burned through her long enough to think clearly.

"Gods know I would love to join you and Thalia in bed as lovers, and I can't say the idea of submitting to you on a sexual level is unwelcome, but are you sure you and Thalia want that? Because there will be no take-backs. Not for this." Her voice, admirably enough, was rock steady and clear, despite unconsciously leaning into The Exile's gentle touch with eyes that were drifting shut in happiness, and Riven chuckled warmly, a sound that sent another bolt of fire straight to her core.

 **"Dearest Bianca, always the careful thinker, always the wise planner. Yes, it is what she and I both desire. Once you Join with us, you will understand us as I understood her. Please, will you not accept us?"** she replied with hopeful warmth, and Bianca found herself nodding despite the voice of hesitation in the back of her mind. The sheer joy that exploded into Riven's expression made ignoring her misgivings more than worth it.

" **Σας γνωρίζουμε ως Bianca , σύμμαχος και φίλος . Σας αναφέρω τώρα Bianca , το αριστερό χέρι και σύντροφος της εξορίας . Σας σηματοδοτήσει τώρα η δική μου για όλη την αιωνιότητα .***"** Riven declared again, and she felt those words of power resonate within her.

Tilting her head to the side to bear her throat for her Exile, Bianca closed her eyes and waited with a pounding heart. She didn't have to wait long, and she gasped as she felt Riven nuzzle against her throat, and her nipple instantly peaked beneath her clothing at the raw sensuality of the moment, her cousin's warm breath on her throat sending shivers down her spine. One hand instinctively camped up to cradle Riven's head, fingers weaving themselves into snowy locks, and she moaned lightly as Riven placed several kisses on her pulse point.

 **"Mine."** She heard Riven rumble softly, and then it happened. The daughter of Poseidon's teeth sunk into the warm, soft flesh of her throat, and her mind and body exploded with pleasure. Had she been more mentally aware at the moment, she would have been embarrassed by the fact that she had just soaked her panties. Instead, she mewled in mind-numbing pleasure and began to collapse, Riven's strong arms wrapping around her and gently lowering them both to the floor, her teeth still latched onto her neck.

Then she felt them. Not only physically, for her back rested against Thalia even as she lay in Riven's arms, but mentally and within her soul. She could feel herself become part of a web, a solar system of the soul. At its heart blazed the implacable and all-blinding radiance of her new Mistress, with the essence of Thalia close beside her, orbiting her forevermore, and Bianca felt herself pulled into the same orbit. Now she and Thalia orbited together, twin satellites to Riven's sun, and despite the pleasure-induced haze that had overwhelmed her sense, she sensed still other. Connections so nebulous that many had not yet even met her Mistress, she was sure, but would soon find themselves beside her all the same.

She felt Thalia's mind brush up against hers, and she opened herself up to the connection. Wordless joy flowed between the pair as they Saw and Felt everything that made the other who they were, and in that moment understood one another more than words could ever hope to express. They spent what felt like an eternity, wrapped up in each other's souls, when their Sun spoke to them, Calling to them.

 ** _"Come, my precious Hands. Let us show one another our devotion and love in the physical realm."_** it said, and they heard and obeyed.

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**And that, as they say, is that. A little bit longer than usual, and frankly a mix of nothign and everything happened in this chapter. I want to remind everyone that I now have a forum page, and topic pages for all of my big stories. Feel free to pop over there and chat with myself or one another about any of my stories. Link is on my page.**

**Obviously, the next chapter is going to start with a Lemon, the first for this story and my second overall.**

***Think like Sylvanas' voice from WOW, thats the kind of effect I am going for**

****I know you as Thalia, lover and friend. I name you now Thalia, Right Hand and Companion of The Exile. I mark you now as mine for all eternity.**

*****I know you as Bianca, ally and friend. I name you now Bianca, Left Hand and Companion of The Exile. I mark you now as mine for all eternity.**


	11. Bonding and Baffling

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The Exiles

Chapter Eleven

Bonding and Baffling

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Soft moans began to rise as the trio reentered the world of the waking, hands and lips already beginning to roam one another's bodies as their hearts sang out to one another. Clothes quickly began to fly as the two Hands hastened to disrobe one another, instinctively desiring to bear their bodies for their Mistress, instinctively knowing not to touch Her until She gave them leave to do so.

The Exile looked on with a small, smug smile as her two cousins put on a truly glorious show right before her eyes, feeling exceptionally powerful in that moment. This, she decided, was true power. Sure, her blood gave her power both divine and physical beyond many mortal's or demigod's comprehension, but the power of having someone entrust their bodies and their hearts to her was all the more intoxicating.

Finally, both were naked, breaking off the deep kiss they had engaged in sometime during the event to turn their gazes onto Her, eyes sparkling with love and lust in equal measure as they awaited for her command. Returning their gazes with equal intent, she silently crooked her fingers in silent command and they fell upon her, stripping her slowly and sensually with kisses and murmurs of appreciation for every inch of tanned flesh that their efforts unveiled. She was their altar and their goddess, and they worshipped her with hands and tongue and lips and eyes, and she reveled in their submission. Their souls pulsed as one, an endless loop of lust and devotion that stoked their flames ever higher. Their Mistress finally lay naked before them, and they rocked back as one into a submissive kneeling position, eyes lowered as Her aura reached out to wrap around them.

                "Come, my Hands, show me your _dexterity_ , show me your _strength_. Learn my body as I will learn of yours. After all, the hands should know the body they serve." She said languidly, laughing softly as they dove in once more, mouths instantly latching onto the prominent, hard-as-pebble nipples that topped her large breasts, and she shuddered in delight, for the sensation was beyond anything she had ever felt in the past. The wet warmth surrounding those prominent peaks was incredible, and she felt her arousal spike in equal measure to her enjoyment. She lay a gentle hand on each of their heads, running her fingers through Thalia's short and Bianca's long locks, enjoying the similar yet different sensations. Thalia was coarse, rough, and needy as she swirled her tongue around her nipple, teeth nipping lightly at the sensitive flesh, whereas Bianca was gentle, slow, and deliberate, much like the former Huntress herself was. Her core, already warm from the presence of the two women she loved and ignited by their display while stripping, was steadily growing ever hotter as the experience continued. Her enhanced senses, both physical and not, could _feel_ the arousal emanating from her two lovers, and she tilted her head back and closed her eyes as she basked in the sensation of pure power, once again reflecting on the true nature of that word.

As one, the two worshippers allowed their assigned hand to drift down to their Mistress' crotch, brushing lightly over smooth, bare skin to join forces in stroking her clitoral hood, teasing the small pebble-like button of bliss from its protective confines, tugging on it lightly and making Her back arch violently with an explosive gasp of pleasure. Emboldened by their success, the girl's split their attentions, Thalia continuing to focus on the engorged clit while Bianca's moved down to gently stroke Her soaking folds directly, not daring to penetrate without Her command but nonetheless bringing her immense pleasure. It did not take long for the combined assault on her breasts, pussy, and clit to bring Riven to her first climax as a woman, shrieking with delight and writhing in their arms, soaking Bianca's hand with the flood of her release, eyes rolled back in her head from the intensity of the sensation. Her lovers nuzzled into her neck, kissing it gently as they stroked her through the aftershocks, both remembering how intense it had been the first time they had experimented and cum. Riven nuzzled them each in turn, kissing them gently, before resting for a long moment. They could almost feel the change come over her, an increase of her aura in such a way that it became a physical presence, and neither resisted as she slipped out from between them to stand before the bed, body glistening with sweat and cum as she turned her ruby gaze on them, eyes hooded and lustful as she licked her lips and devoured them with their eyes, both girls subconsciously spreading their legs to her viewing pleasure, making her eyes burn even brighter.

                **"On your hands and knees facing away from me, both of you."** She commanded, vocie echoing with power, and they scrambled to obey, chests and faces on the soft matress, tight asses raised high and cum-soaked thighs spread before her. Kneeling behind them, she let her hands trail lightly down their spines and onto those firm globes, feather-light touch making the pair squirm in eagerness, both trying to raise their hips to guide those fingers to more desperate zones. She spanked each sharply, lips quirking into a please smirk as they moaned in unison, before admonishing them. **"None of that, I will touch you when I see fit and not a moment sooner. Behave yourselves, or else I might have to strike you again, somewhat harder. Though you two might enjoy that, mightn't you?"**

Mumbles of agreement, muffled by the mattress and blankets, immediately rose from her girls, and she very nearly cackled with glee. They would soon be entirely hers, the first and greatest, most valued, but they would not be the last, neither of lovers nor followers. She would gather more to her, bring others into the fold, and her power would grow. Teasing their puckered assholes for a brief moment, earning gasps from the duo, she quickly moved on to the real prize of the session: their sopping folds, the mingled scents of their arousal wafting directly to her nose and combining into the most glorious aroma she had ever smelled.

                **"And now, you are mine."** She murmured before thrusting two fingers into each of them, sinking as deeply as she could without adding more fingers thanks to the incredible level of arousal that had consumed them. Their hymens, which any mortal girl would have lost long ago from the many strenuous activities a demigoddess undertook, broke beneath her thrust, and Riven pumped her aura directly into them, heightening their pleasure to the point where the pain of losing their virginity wasn't even felt. Ignoring the blood leaking out around her fingers, she began to pump them far slower and gentler than she desired to, wanting them to enjoy this as much as she was. They were warm and wet and _tight_ around her fingers, impossibly so, and she began to increase her pace bit by bit as they began to thrust back against her.

The next several minutes were a haze of pleasure for the trio of young women, until the daughters of Zeus and Hades came with loud cries, tightening down almost painfully onto the pistoning digits, soaking them in sweet smelling fluids, and collapsing in blissful exhaustion. Crawling in between them, the Exile lay down and coaxed her lovers into curling up against her, heads pillowed on her breasts, and they drifted off to sleep together.

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                "What did you want to talk to us about, Doctor?" Caitlyn asked politely as Ducky shut the door to his temporary lab/office, and he put a finger to his lips before walking further into the room, and the two officers exchanged glances as they watched him come to a halt in the one spot of the room that was furthest from any doors, windows, or electronic devices. Now feeling distinctly disturbed and suspicious, the pair nonetheless elected to follow him, two pairs of eyebrows raised very curiously indeed.

                "We must keep our voices down. It would be rather unfortunate if your Chief or any of his 'friends' should hear what I am about to say to you. In fact, never speak of it unless you are sure you are alone and unable to be overheard." The elderly ME said softly, eyes wary as they continued to observe his surroundings carefully. "Despite what you might have heard, I am not in fact here only to teach and observe with your own MEs. Instead, I am something of a spy. NCIS has reason to believe that Jayce and more than a few of your fellows, as well as high-ranking people within the city, are in league with a rather...undesirable element, or at the very least on their payroll."

                "And you've been sent to see what you can find out subtly?" Caitlyn guessed, and the good Doctor nodded in response, a small smile on his face.

                "My dear friend Jethro offered to come instead, but I am afraid that a retired Scout Recon Marine and perhaps the most legendary NCIS Special Agent would be far from subtle. Indeed, I think that while he would still find out precisely the information I hope too, he would only do so after much wailing, gnashing of teeth, and, naturally, pain on the behalf of your erstwhile colleagues." Ducky confided, and Caitlyn shot her girlfriend a pointed look that had her scoffing and looking away, folding her arms with a small pout. Ducky made the connection and chuckled lightly, it seemed that there was a female Jethro before him, perhaps? He had heard of Officer Zaun's propensity for, ahem, _alternative tactics_ , as it were. Along with one -liners like: “C’mon, resist arrest already!”, “Here comes the _punch_ line!”, and “FREEZE! Or don’t, I don’t care!”

                “So who do you think they’re working with? Gangs? Thugs? Mafia?” Vi asked, changing the subject away from her less-than-professional self, and Ducky’s face darkened as he shook his head.

                “No, I’m afraid that we think they are working with terrorists, though perhaps they are not _aware_ that their benefactors are terrorists. In return for funds and favors, your erstwhile compatriots provide arms, information on the city, and share whatever information comes their way from OHS.” He responded, and Caitlyn hissed as her eyes narrowed.

                “That would explain the various weapons from arms dealers that have been ‘lost’ in Evidence, amongst other things. Why did this capture NCIS’s attention, isn’t terrorism a little bit outside of your usual fare?” she asked curiously, and Ducky nodded in acknowledgment, because it was indeed true. Terrorism and NCIS investigations rarely went together, at least they used to. Now, unfortunately, they seemed to be crossing paths more and more often.

                “It used to be, but terrorists are targeting more and more members of the military, especially those on leave, and a dead sailor is a dead sailor, regardless of where or by whom they were murdered. One thing lead to another, and here I stand. At any rate, thanks to his putting you on leave, no doubt pending dismissal or worse, I thought it best to speak with you about this.” He replied sadly, and the pair had to nod in agreement. In this day and age, everyone had to deal with the scum, not just OHS and the regular military, and the idea that Jayce was working with them (ignorant or not) was unacceptable and infuriating.

                "What do you propose we do then?" Caitlyn sighed, not wanting to be in this situation. Not because she wanted to avoid the work that would come with this, but rather wishing it was unnecessary to investigate her coworkers for treason, espionage, and sedition. While she and Vi didn't have friends amongst the department, and barely had acquaintances, the idea that they might be so corrupted was a bitter pill indeed.

                "Well, we think that your captain had...friends amongst the gang you reported massacred, which is why he so wants to find this 'Exile' and her people, as well as reacting so angrily at your own comments on their admittedly well-deserved fates. I would suggest that you pretend to arrange a meeting with this young woman, and have a discussion where one of your coworkers can hear you. Hopefully, Jayce and his group will take the bait and provide some manner of evidence on their betrayal. Myself and several FBI agents will be lying in wait to confront them and ensure your own safeties, but I cannot lie and say that this would be danger free."  Ducky warned them, sounding truly regretful that they would by necessity be put in danger for the plan to work, but neither of them was swayed nor dismayed by this truth. They put their lives on the line everyday as their oath and beliefs demanded, doing so to protect the people from the depredations of those who should protect them was simply another facet of this duty.

                "It doesn't matter, doc. It needs to get done, it should get done, so it is _going_ to get done." Vi stated in her blunt way, though not unkindly, and the good doctor nodded before returning to his paperwork, leaving the pair to plan their own part of the greater trap.

                "She said to call her if we need her, and this will be a lot more believable if she actually shows. Besides, I hate that she is going to be a target in all this, if we can manage to clear her name at least with the FBI I'll be damned pleased." Vi told her girlfriend and partner, and Caitlyn frowned in consideration. It would indeed, but how best could they get in touch with The Exile? They had no contact information, nothing but (to them) nebulous instructions.

                "Let's drop the lure and head home, we can figure out how best to contact her then." The taller brunette finally responded, and the pair departed together. It wasn't hard for one of their 'comrades' to hear them discussing their 'plans' as they exited the precinct, 'failing to notice' him leaning up against the wall. Naturally, he scurried off to inform his Captain, and Jayce immediately put a tail in place at their home to follow them when they departed. He could kidnap the two and pin their disappearance on this murderous criminal mastermind, who would _regrettably_ die during their attempts to capture her. Then he would have all the time in the world to break them.

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As dusk approached several hours later, an apparently oblivious duet headed for Central Park, seemingly unaware that they were being followed by a good dozen disguised members of their own department with fell intentions. They guessed that they were there, of course, though they had to restrain themselves from actually trying to _find_ the bastards, because that would probably tip them off that the duo wasn't nearly as oblivious as they seemed.

                "Riven, we need to talk to you." Caitlyn said to the seemingly empty park, feeling very awkward indeed given that she knew no one was actually there. Well, besides the FBI and the traitors, at any rate.

                "My Mistress, the Lady Riven, is not able to answer your call at this time. I have come in her stead." A cultured and soft feminine voice spoke from directly behind them, and they spun around to see a green-eyed, red-haired young woman dressed in a long, flowing, and elaborate down of the darkest black, white trim and golden ornaments depicting sun and moon defining it against the darkness of the night. Her face was partially shrouded by the almost comically large hat atop her head, and by the sheer, mask-like veil that covered from the nose down.

                "Sinister Blade?" Caitlyn blinked in shock, and the woman laughed softly and shook her head in amused denial.

                "No, though you are not the first nor shall you be the last to confuse she and I, so alike do we appear. She, like our Mistress, is otherwise indisposed or else she would have accompanied me. Besides, things such as this are more my purview than her own." She responded, and Vi spoke up from beside her lover and partner.

                "And who are you?"

                "Ah, forgive me for my rudeness. I am Rachel Dare, loyal servant to the Lady Riven, and the Eye of The Exile. She sent me to speak with you and help you as you need it in her stead." The young woman responded with a very courtly curtsy, a small smile on her face as the pair exchanged confused glances. "I would wonder why you had called for her aid, if it had not been forseen. Come out, traitors of the NYPD, and face your punishment for your sins."

There was an interminable pause before the corrupt police officers made themselves known, along with several more friends of an unsavory and illegal type, all carrying various weapons of an equally illegal type. Nearly thirty armed men in total, spreading out in a loose semicircle around them with weapons held at the ready, though not pointed directly at them.

                "Rachel Elizabeth Dare? Well, I've no idea how you knew that we were here, but your father put up a mighty pretty penny as a reward for information regarding your location, and even more if someone brought you back to him. Come along quietly and you won't get hurt." Jayce drawled from the center, eyes glinting greedily as he regarded her.

                "No, not yet!" Leroy Jethroy Gibbs, freshly arrived from Washington D.C. with Kate Todd and Tony DiNozzo, grabbed Fornell's arm as the FBI agent moved to reveal himself and their team to the corrupt cops and their cohorts.

                "Damnit Gibbs, it was bad enough when we were using those two as bait, but now there is a civilian stuck in the middle of it and there are twice as many as we expected!" Fornell whispered back harshly, but Gibbs' eyes told him to listen, and he sat back with a sigh. Gibbs' gut was an almost mystical thing, and he supposed he could wait another few seconds. He, the NCIS agents, and a team of 8 FBI troopers in heavy gear with assault rifles were hidden in a dense grove of trees very close to where the showdown was taking place, waiting to capture the criminals the moment they condemned themselves.

Soft, tinkling laughter attracted everyone attention, and all looked to see Rachel giggling into the back of her hand, head tilted back slightly as her body shook with mirth. They were dumbstruck, for even they would not laugh in the face of so many heavily armed criminals with little in the way of morals. Did she really think her Father's reward was sufficient to keep her alive and unharmed?

                "What're you laughing at, you little brat? Your daddy wanted you back, he didn't say you had to be in good shape. We can beat you down and drag your ass to the hospital if we have to, just say we rescued you from a gang or something. " Jayce verbalized what they were all thinking, and the laughter abruptly ceased and her hand lowered, revealing that her eyes were now hard and deadly.

                "You idiots couldn't manage to best one of My Lady's weakest acolytes, never mind one such as I. This is your only chance to surrender yourselves to judgment unharmed. Otherwise, it is _you_ who will be delivered broken and bleeding to your final destination." She informed him coldly, raising her arms as if offering them to take a shot at her. "You cannot hope to withstand an Elite like myself, peons that you are. Observe the power granted to me by the one true ruler of this world!"

The world warped around them, a wave of crimson light emanating from the girl, its passage changing the fabric of reality. Gone was the grass and stone of Central Park, gone was New York City. The moon glowed an ominous red, the sky a malevolent violet, the ground cracked and burnt as if scorched by a great fire.

                "Welcome to the _Dark Mirror_ , my favorite extra-dimensional plane for obliterating contemptible wastes of flesh like yourselves." Rachel chuckled darkly, a strange object now floating above her right hand. It looked like some sort ancient rendition of a globe, but it had strange bars and such rotating around it, in addition to what looked like a small flock of cards orbiting the entire device. "The stars themselves will judge your souls and decide your Fates. _Declare: Dominance of Fate!"_

The cards abruptly scattered, swirling through the air like a whirlwind, and after several revolutions a series of five stopped, one after another, in a pillar hanging before the girl, glowing faintly. To baffled by what was going on, the criminals and law enforcement alike couldn't move or speak. Rachel looked at the horizontal line of cards before her and gave a chilling laugh. "Your fates are decreed!"

The first card spun around to reveal itself to the onlookers, bearing the upside-down image of a king in crimson robes wielding a sword.

                "Justice Reversed! You have sold your loyalty to darkness, forsaken your vows, and pervert the law in order to further your own gains!"

The second spun, revealing the upside down form of a man on a green-cloaked white horse with a stave in his hand, a crowd behind him similarly armed.

                "Six of Wands, Reversed! You have fallen into disrepute and will meet your downfall because of it!"

The third spun, this one right side up and showing the image of an trumpet wielding angel overlooking people rising from their coffins with arms raise high in praise..

                "Judgment! The time has come for you to pay the devil his due, traitor, for none escape The Maker's punishment!"

The fourth was easy enough to decipher, the upright image of an armor-clad skeleton on horseback with a corpse at his feet.

                "Death! Your just punishment has been decreed, all that remains is to see at whose hands this fate will be delivered unto you!"

The firth card revealed itself to be a naked man and woman gazing up at an angel that was framed against the rising son, eyes closed peacefully.

                "The Lovers! Ones who share values and love with one another and divine strength from that bond! I honestly thought that it would be _I_ who would claim your life, but it seems that this is not to be so! Have you any last words, scum?"

                "Yeah, bitch, fuck you and your cards. I'm going to fucking kill-" Jayce sneered, raising his submachine gun to gun her down, but a series of shots echoed and his body jerked as if on a marionette before collapsing. Rachel looked over to smile at Caitlyn and Vi, whose still smoking pistols were pointed at their former comrade with unwavering determination.

                "As I had foreseen." The Eye mused, pleased that some small manner of Justice had been served, before facing the rest. Her cards flew again, this time stopping far more rapidly and revealing themselves to be The Devil, Strength Reversed, and Hierophant Reversed. Chains of molten red energy poured forth, wrapping around the group, even as they collapsed and weapons fell from suddenly powerless fingers. Smile broadening, she turned to the pair of NYPD officers that had not been struck. "I have taken their strength from them. Even should they not be chained, they are no more a threat than a newborn child. Do with them as you will, and never forget to call for help should you require it. One of us shall answer the call."

                "And just who are 'us', missy?" Fornell chose that moment to reveal himself, his troops moving to take possession of the secured prisoners while he and the NCIS agents came over to the trio of young women. "Who are you people, and what happened to the city?"

                "Haaaa~? I have forgotten to dispel it." The girl murmured, and a moment later the world snapped back to normal. Once more they were in Central Park, the ground, sky, and moon back as they ought to be. "As for who we are, it is not my place to tell you all you wish to know. I can tell you that we who call ourselves The Exiles' swear unwavering loyalty and undying devotion to our Mistress, Riven, from whose title we take our name. I am her Eye, the one to whom she turns for Sight and Speech, and it is for this reason I have come. To address you on her behalf. Ask of me what you wish, and I may yet answer."

                "What does your organization do?"

                "We seek out and eliminate those who threaten the Balance of this world, those who would use powers meant to protect and serve Humanity, to instead to enslave and harm. Much as you and your compatriots do, yes?"

                "Who and where from is this Mistress of yours?"

                "You would not know of her, for all memory of her has faded from this plane. She was once a mortal, loving child of a mother and step-father. Her parents were murdered and displayed by her enemies, and so she now seeks to crush them like the gnats they are and ensure it can never happen again."

                "You say she was mortal as if she is something else now." This time is was Kate Todd who asked, and Rachel looked at her with appraising eyes that were far too old for so young a woman.

                "We have all become more, for how can we protect the People if we have not the strength to do so? Fear not Caitlyn Todd, we are neither demons nor devils nor worshippers of Darkness. Not all with powers unnatural are those who follow Evil, and not all who cloak themselves in purity stay true to The Light." She responded cryptically, turning away and beginning to leave, prompting Fornell to reach out and grab her. Or, at least, try to, for as his hand began to close on her arm she burst into a shower of brilliant white light that scattered with a final comment. "Remember: If you cry out for us, we will come to you."

                "I have no idea how I'm going to write this up." Fornell grumbled, dropping his hand back to his side, and Gibbs chuckled with his damnable smirk creasing his lips and shrugging.

                "Right what up? Two officers of the NYPD were forced to kill their treasonous Captain when he attempted to fire on a civilian, and the rest of his compatriots were taken alive. The Hows and Whys of all of it isn't to important, is it Tobias?" he said slyly, and Fornell eyed him before chuckling and shaking his head.

                "You scare me sometimes, you know that Gibbs? How've you not been shot yet, either by your family or your boss, or any bastard whose ever met you on the street?"

                "My charm and dashing good looks, obviously. C'mon Fornell, I thought you were supposed to be a smart and skilled investigator!"

                "Cheeky bastard..."

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It was funny, The Eye of The Exile mused to herself as she rematerialized on the deck of her Mistress' flagship as it surged through the ocean towards New York City at the heart of her fleet. Travelling through time still felt so bizarre to her, yet her Mistress did it almost daily, effectively allowing her to be in multiple places at once. Such it was that she could send her Eye to help Caitlyn and Vi during a time where she had not yet come into her power, had not yet even claimed her Hands...or rather, was likely in the midst of it.

Arriving at a heavily armored door guarded by a pair of armed demigods, one Greek and one Egyptian, she was admitted with twin salutes which she returned, before stepping inside. The room to which the door led was lavishly decorated and inhabited by numerous young women, both armored and _not_ , all reclining comfortably on couches, chairs, and even Roman-style _klinai_. At the top of an elevated dais, surrounded by several other young women, sat her Mistress on a large throne-like chair gazing down at her with a small smile. Kneeling at the base of the dais, one arm sweeping to the side in a dramatic but honest gesture of respect and adherence, she smiled up at her ruler and friend.

                "Milady, I've returned victorious, though of course you know this already, for indeed we travel to meet those whom you sent me to aid." She reports, and Riven's lips quirked into a small smirk of amusement as she nodded her agreement. "Regardless of this, I think perhaps I was more theatrical than was truly needed."

                "Yet it was amusing, was it not, to call out your cards and divine their fates aloud?" Riven responded, and Rachel nodded with a similar smirk as several others of The Elites of the Exile tittered in amusement and agreement. "I thought as much. It will be all the more amusing when those friends we have gathered amongst the agencies bring their superiors to view our glory. After all, they've no comprehension of our strength, despite all their efforts in the last two years. It is time to show them."

                "By your command." The room chorused dutifully, and Riven's smirk broadened as her fleet sailed ever onward towards the site of the battle that would decide the fate of Humanity and gods alike.

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**The whole seen with Rachel was supposed to be very different, but when I decided to incorporate the NCIS and FBI teams into the scene, I decided to make her act very dramatically as a sort of display of power, an act to inspire awe, as it were.**


End file.
